With Government borrowing at a near 30 years high, her stewardship of the public finances facing increasing criticism and having just lost her most reliable adviser to the Prime Minister, Rachel Reeves may well ask why anyone would want to be Chancellor.
She clearly faces an enormous challenge on 26 November. Trying somehow to stick to her manifesto commitments, balance her books, keep business on side and not upset critics on both her left and right that she is either taxing too little or taxing too much.
Can she walk that every narrowing tight rope or will this all end in tears and a new Chancellor by Christmas? Either way it promises to be high political theatre on the day and fascinating for our tax experts and the average punter alike.
