4 d. ago Deal with Beijing will speed China's export of minerals to the U.S., treasury secretary says

Washington and Beijing have signed a trade agreement that will make it easier for American firms to obtain magnets and rare earth minerals from China that are critical to manufacturing and microchip production

Economics

1 week ago Ministers set out plans to spend £725bn on UK infrastructure over 10 years

Government strategy includes spending £9bn a year on fixing schools, hospitals, courts and prisonsMinisters have pledged to spend £9bn a year on fixing crumbling schools, hospitals, courts and prisons over the next decade as part of the government’s infrastructure strategy.Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Treasury, set out plans on Thursday to spend a minimum of £725bn over 10 years to boost UK-wide infrastructure and achieve a “national renewal”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Maintenance fund to give £9bn a year to fix schools, hospitals and prisons

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said £6 billion a year would go to repairing hospitals and £3 billion to schools and colleges.

Economics

1 week ago ‘Ninja’ Scott Bessent says Elon Musk fancies himself as ‘a viking’ as he tries to downplay their feud

Treasury secretary and former head of DOGE clashed in West Wing in April within earshot of Donald Trump in Oval Office

Politics

2 w. ago Darren Jones refuses to apologise for suggesting most Channel migrants are women and children... after 'clarifying' that he was only talking about passengers on TWO boats

Treasury Chief Secretary Darren Jones insisted there is no need for him to say sorry despite anger at his comments on the BBC's Question Time last week.

Events

2 w. ago Labour minister who claimed majority of Channel migrants were women and children now says he was only talking about ONE boat

Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, made the claim during Thursday's programme before hastily 'clarifying' he was referring to one specific boat.

Politics

2 w. ago Labour minister admits he was wrong to claim most small boats migrants are 'babies, children and women'

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones faced mounting criticism after his erroneous comments on BBC Question Time

Politics

2 w. ago Government ‘focused’ on tackling smuggling gangs after minister’s boats claim

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said the majority of people crossing the Channel in small boats are ‘children, babies and women’.

Politics

2 w. ago Tories demand OBR steps in to scrutinise Rachel Reeves' spending plans amid alarm that her sums don't add up without tax hikes

Conservative MP Gareth Davies, the shadow financial secretary to the Treasury, called for the watchdog to assess Chancellor Rachel Reeves' proposals.

Economics

2 w. ago Senior Government Minister hears young people’s aspirations for future as funding announced

At today’s Scottish Robotic Games, the first to be held at Leonardo in Edinburgh since the pandemic, The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, The Rt Hon Darren Jones MP, spoke to students from schools across Scotland about their aspirations for the future.

Politics

2 w. ago US and China reach deal to ease rare earth mineral export curbs after talks in London

US commerce secretary says framework puts ‘meat on the bones’ of deal reached last month in Geneva to ease retaliatory tariffs

Economics

3 w. ago US hoping for ‘handshake’ from China at trade talks; takeover flurry in the City – business live

US hoping to get handshake from China over access to rare earths, at meeting in London todayThe presence of US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick at today’s talks in London is seen as directly related to China’s export ban on rare earth minerals and permanent magnets, critical in aerospace, military and semi-conductor companies worldwide, my colleague Lisa O’Carroll reports.After the call between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping last week, their first since Trump’s inauguration in January, the US said Xi had agreed to resume shipments of rare earths to the US, breaking the logjam needed for talks to resume. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago The thin blue line? Yvette Cooper STILL holding out over funding for 'broken' police with barely 48 hours until Rachel Reeves unveils spending plans up to next election

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is yet to settle with the Treasury amid bitter squabbling over police and borders funding.

Politics

3 w. ago Newsom is warned of ‘criminal tax evasion’ if he withholds federal taxes

California governor made threat amid reports Trump is weighing huge federal funding cuts targeting stateThe US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has warned California governor Gavin Newsom that he would be guilty of “criminal tax evasion” if he withholds his state’s tax payments to the federal government amid threats of a funding cut by Donald Trump.Newsom had threatened to cut tax payments to the federal government two days ago after reports that Trump was preparing huge federal funding cuts targeting Democrat-dominated California, including its state university system. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Gory details of Elon Musk's 'rugby tackle' of Scott Bessent spill out as White House leaks escalate

New details surrounding a White House brawl between Elon Musk and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have spilled out into the open.

Events