Laura Kuenssberg said landlords ‘scrimped and saved’ to buy rental properties and the entirety of the internet replied as one

It’s a big week for Keir Starmer’s new(ish) Labour government with chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves due to unveil the party’s first budget for 15 years.

It naturally took up much of the attention of the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on her Sunday morning BBC1 show, although less predictable – perhaps – was this heartfelt plea for help for one especially beleaguered section of society, in conversation with education secretary, Bridget Phillipson.

The poor landlord who only owns two rental properties they’ve scrimped and saved to buy. They’re not wealthy. Who will think of them? #bbclaurak pic.twitter.com/9n99EesDNV

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) October 27, 2024

Of course, the landlords!

And it’s fair to say the entirety of the internet – well, at least that bit that doesn’t make a large amount of their money out of people who can’t afford to buy their own home – replied as one.

1.

Laura Kuenssberg wants to know if ‘working people’ are those who have “Scrimped and saved to buy a couple of rental properties”.

Won’t somebody think of the poor landlords?

This ‘working people’ line of questioning is preposterous. #bbclaurak pic.twitter.com/EtxbZ932PD

— Deirdre Heenan (@deirdreheenan) October 27, 2024

2.

Aww bless their little cotton socks. How difficult it must be to own multiple homes and collect money like a game of monopoly. Give them a break, they work so hard.

— Lou to my friends. the far right (@LouiseScot51918) October 27, 2024

3.

Landlords who have “scrimped and saved to buy a couple of rental properties”. Can anyone buy a property merely by scrimping and saving? With the average UK house price standing at £293,000 in August then landlords it seems are excellent scrimpers and savers. Though many tenants…

— Richard (@UKverifried) October 27, 2024

4.

Laura Kuenssberg wonders if ‘working people’ are those who have “Scrimped and saved to buy a couple of rental properties”. Only in your world Laura.#bbclaurak

— Parody Keir Starmer (@Parody_PM) October 27, 2024

5.

“What about the working people who’ve scrimped and scraped their whole lives to hoard their money in an offshore tax haven?”#bbclaurak https://t.co/ClIIRj5xu9

— David (@Zero_4) October 27, 2024

6.

If you have two flats to rent, you are not poor.

— Helen Salmon – Chippy person Back to square one (@HelenSalmon2) October 27, 2024

7.

Shall we have a whip-round so they can buy a third!

— Sue McKee (@Sukee49) October 27, 2024