20 h. ago Voices: For crying out loud: are you ready for the ‘politics of pain’ about to hit us?

I once accused the PM and his chancellor of being too gloomy, writes John Rentoul. Turns out they were not gloomy enough – and they’ll have to lead the nation through another vale of tears

Politics

23 h. ago Which tax rises could Rachel Reeves introduce to pay for the £5bn welfare U

Labour’s pledge not to raise taxes on ‘working people’ leaves the chancellor with a limited number of workable options to fill the £5bn hole in the public finances left by this week’s welfare climbdown

Economics

49 h. ago Who WILL pay for Labour's benefits farce? Tax rises on the menu as Rachel Reeves faces finding 'tens of billions of pounds' in Budget as rebels urge her to squeeze the rich

The PM effectively tore up his benefits reforms, which had been due to shave £5billion a year off spirallling costs by the end of the Parliament - but will now actually increase spending by £100million.

Economics

6 d. ago When will Brits discover if they face Rachel Reeves tax rises after DWP and PIP u

After partially reversing the cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance and then agreeing to an inquiry into the grooming gangs having previously said there was no need, Keir Starmer pulls a third U-turn

Politics

7 d. ago Starmer ‘agrees’ concessions with welfare cut rebels as he faces huge revolt

Economists warn tax rises could be needed to fund a U-Turn on Sir Keir Starmer’s £5bn welfare reforms as PM opens door to concessions

Politics

7 d. ago Tax rise warning as Starmer in talks on concessions with welfare cut rebels as he faces huge revolt

Economists warn tax rises could be needed to fund a U-Turn on Sir Keir Starmer’s £5bn welfare reforms as PM opens door to concessions

Events

7 d. ago Keir Starmer admits government has ‘asked a lot’ of business, and defends employment rights bill – business live

PM tells BCC conference businesses have made a ‘huge difference’, following the tax rises in the last budgetFull story: Shell has ‘no intention’ of making offer to buy BP after £60bn takeover rumoursStarmer then tells the BCC conference that the spending review earlier this month is a “clear shift” towards investing in the future of the UK, not simply tackling the promises it inherited.Starmer says his administration have “wiped the slate clean”, stabilized the economy, and can now move onto building a fairer Britain, with change and renewal.‘I fully acknowledge that this year, as we’ve had to fix the foundations of our country, [and] deal with the unprecedented mess that we inherited, we’ve asked a lot of you.I understand that, and I want to acknowledge that.They are all vital for the long-term growth of our country. But none of that would have been possible without your contribution. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago More woe for Rachel Reeves as 'sticky' inflation defies expectations to hold at 3.4%

Official figures showed headline CPI stuck at 3.4 per cent in May, worse than the 3.3 per cent analysts had pencilled in.

Economics

2 w. ago New blow for Rachel Reeves as inflation stays at 3.4 per cent

The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) means prices were still rising in May at a similar rate to April when a raft of bills increased for households up and down the country.

Economics

2 w. ago Brits braced for tax rises as two thirds fear Rachel Reeves will need to hammer the public and firms or up borrowing to pay for Spending Review

Two thirds of voters (67 per cent) believe that the Chancellor's plans set out last week mean she will either hit them in the pocket or increase borrowing.

Economics

2 w. ago Treasury 'already drawing up tax rises for the Autumn' as grim poll shows just a fifth of Brits say Rachel Reeves had priorities right in Spending Review

Dividends and bank profits are among the areas being mooted for drumming up revenue to balance the books.

Economics

3 w. ago Keir Starmer must come to the defence of his chancellor’s spending review

Editorial: In spite of Rachel Reeves’s much-vaunted increase in MoD expenditure, a rise to 2.6 per cent of GDP can only be achieved by draining the overseas aid budget, reallocating intelligence agency funds, and other sleights of hand. When the prime minister faces Nato leaders, including Donald Trump, he will have no choice but to spin the numbers

Politics

3 w. ago Rachel Reeves hit with headache after economy shrinks amid fresh fears of tax hikes

The Office for National Statistics said the UK economy shrank by 0.3% in April. Meanwhile, experts are warning that council tax bills will rise following Chancellor Rachel Reeves's spending review

Economics

3 w. ago Poorest Brits to benefit most from Rachel Reeves's Spending Review

The poorest Brits will benefit most from Rachel Reeves’s public sector spending spree but tax rises look likely in the autumn, think tank the Resolution Foundation has said

Politics

3 w. ago Britain on track to become a ‘National Health State’, says thinktank

Resolution Foundation says half of all public spending will be allocated to the NHS and social care by the end of the decadeBusiness live – latest updatesBritain is on track to become a “National Health State” where half of all public spending is allocated to the NHS and social care by the end of the decade, according to a leading thinktank.Rachel Reeves used her spending review on Wednesday to prioritise billions of pounds for the NHS as she outlined Labour’s priorities up to the next general election, while squeezing funding for other areas. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Tax rises will come if economy shrinks further, IFS warns Rachel Reeves after Spending Review

The Spending Review delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves has had a mixed response.

Events

3 w. ago How much could YOUR council tax be going up? The pain looming for households as they face the 'fastest bill rises in 20 years' under Rachel Reeves' plans

As part of the Chancellor's spending plans, the Treasury suggested that local authorities would hike bills by 4.99 per cent a year for the rest of this Parliament.

Economics

3 w. ago Tax rises 'almost inevitable' as IFS torches Rachel Reeves' spending plans warning NHS and defence will need topping up and cost

IFS director Paul Johnson said he would be 'very surprised indeed' if heath and defence funding did not need topping up before the next election.

Events

3 w. ago Tax hikes will come if economy shrinks any further, IFS warns Rachel Reeves

In a scathing assessment, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) suggested the Treasury was at times ‘making up the numbers’

Events

3 w. ago Voices: Yes, ‘Renewal’ Reeves needs to raise taxes – but how will she pull it off?

The chancellor’s fiscal headroom is already compromised by her commitment to tackle child poverty, writes Sean O’Grady. So she needs luck – and to be more boring than ever – to raise the revenue she desperately needs

Politics