Rachel Reeves mocked Russia's 'stagnating, fragile economy' in a fiery statement on Friday evening, on the same day the UK's economy was revealed to be flatlining.
The Chancellor has had a rocky 14 months at the Treasury, presiding over a damaging economic slowdown which only looks to be getting worse.
Growth came to a standstill in July after a glacial increase of just 0.2 per cent in the three months prior.
Worse still, Labour's U-turns on budget-slashing policies, including benefit reforms and tightening the winter fuel allowance, have created a huge hole in the public finances, likely to be filled by harmful tax hikes at the Budget on November 26.
In the midst of this stormy economic climate, Ms Reeves took the opportunity on Friday to fire a shot at her counterparts in Russia.
