Richard Madeley mocked chancellor Rachel Reeves this morning by giving her a new job title after yet another bout of bad news for the UK economy.

Inflation, the measure of how prices change over time, unexpectedly rose from 2.5% to 3% in January.

That’s above the Bank of England’s target rate of 2%, and could slow down the economic growth Labour has promised to put at the heart of their government.

So on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, presenter Madeley put it to the government that the chancellor should have a different job title.

While policing minister Diana Johnson claimed the inflation rise was a “bump in the road”, Madeley replied: “I mean, it’s all about perception isn’t it?

“Do you feel that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is rapidly becoming the minister for putting a brave face on things?

“She hasn’t really had any good news to bring us since she got in, has she? Let alone her personal predicaments with her CV.”

The BBC found the chancellor had exaggerated how long she worked at the Bank of England on her LinkedIn profile by half a year. Reeves’ spokesperson says that was an administrative error from her team.

Johnson brushed past the comment about Reeves’ CV, and said: “I don’t accept that.

“We have inherited a really difficult position and I think the prime minister and the chancellor were clear there were going to be difficult decisions the government were going to have to take.

“As I said, we have seen cuts to interest rates, we have seen wages growing by more over the last three years. So there is some prospect of good news...”

Fellow presenter Charlotte Hawkins then replied: “Well, I don’t know, you say a bumpy road, but things do seem to be heading in the wrong direction with inflation going up, Bank of England halving its growth forecast from 1.5% to 0.75 this year.

“That does just mean things are even harder for people aren’t they?”

The minister replied: “I fully appreciate we’ve gone through a cost of living crisis under the previous government, under that disastrous budget from Liz Truss and her chancellor, so things are not easy.”

She pointed to forecasts from the IMF which said the UK economy is set to be the fastest growing in Europe in the next few years.

“I’m not decrying or doing down the fact that it is difficult for families and individuals,” Johnson said. “I fully appreciate that, it is a bumpy road but I think the chancellor is going in the right direction.”

She also pointed out that there have been three interest rate cuts since Labour were elected in July, and that wages are going up.