64 m. ago Sir Keir Starmer says it's 'an investment' as thousands get benefits boost

560,000 will see a Universal Credit increase with more getting extra money from HMRC

Politics

6 h. ago Keir Starmer 'putting political survival over UK security': Priti Patel criticises PM for ruining ties with Israel

She warned that anti-Semitism in the UK has surged to levels not seen since the Jeremy Corbyn era and that British Jews are being left unsafe.

Events

7 h. ago Starmer faces backbench anger after ‘day one’ workers’ right U

MPs including a former employment minister have said the move breaches Labour’s manifesto.

Politics

13 h. ago Starmer forced to deny breaking Labour manifesto as experts sound dire warning over Budget plans

Damning assessment came as chancellor and prime minister forced to defend plans and insist they did not breach manifesto promises

Events

13 h. ago UK government welcomes sharp fall in net migration but says more needs to be done

The British government has welcomed the news that net migration in the U.K., the difference between people moving to the country long-term and those leaving, fell by more than two-thirds in the year to June, but insisted that the figure must fall further to ease community tensions

Politics

15 h. ago Starmer hails drop in migration as visa numbers plunge after rule changes

Sir Keir Starmer described the news that net migration has fallen to its lowest annual figure since 2021 as a ‘step in the right direction’

Politics

17 h. ago No timeline yet for clearing illegal waste mountain, Environment Agency says

The agency has set out efforts to monitor and secure the 150-metre long rubbish dump, saying safety of local residents is ‘our top priority’.

Events

18 h. ago Starmer accused of 'misleading' public over Labour's big tax plans in car

Keir Starmer was repeatedly challenged over whether he deserved the 'trust' of the British people in a bruising interview after the Budget .

Politics

18 h. ago Starmer says budget did not break manifesto tax pledge and scrapping two

PM says: ‘We kept to our manifesto in terms of what we’ve promised. But I accept the challenge that we’ve asked everybody to contribute’Ask the Guardian your budget questionsShare your views on the new ‘mansion tax’Budget calculator: find out if you are better or worse offThe Conservative party is attacking the budget on the grounds that Rachel Reeves is putting up taxes supposedly to fund more spending on benefit claimants. Even though the rationale for this claim is questionable, the Tories were making it before the budget was announced, and Kemi Badenoch firmed it up last night, claiming it was a “Benefits Street budget”.On LBC this morning, asked if the budget meant “alarm clock Britain paying for Benefits Street”, Reeves said she did not accept that. She said 60% of the families that would benefit from the removal of the two-child benefit cap (the most expensive welfare announcement in the budget) were in work.I don’t think children should be punished by this pernicious policy ...

Economics

19 h. ago Starmer says Budget ‘asked everybody to contribute’ to protect public services

The Prime Minister rejected claims the scrapping of the two-child cap had been announced to shore up his own position.

Politics

20 h. ago Reeves should have included more tax reform in budget to help growth, IFS thinktank says – UK politics live

Institute for Fiscal Studies director says chancellors continue to ‘shy away from meaningful tax reform that could move the dial’Ask the Guardian your budget questionsShare your views on the new ‘mansion tax’ Budget calculator: find out if you are better or worse offThe Conservative party is attacking the budget on the grounds that Rachel Reeves is putting up taxes supposedly to fund more spending on benefit claimants. Even though the rationale for this claim is questionable, the Tories were making it before the budget was announced, and Kemi Badenoch firmed it up last night, claiming it was a “Benefits Street budget”.On LBC this morning, asked if the budget meant “alarm clock Britain paying for Benefits Street”, Reeves said she did not accept that. She said 60% of the families that would benefit from the removal of the two-child benefit cap (the most expensive welfare announcement in the budget) were in work.I don’t think children should be punished by this pernicious policy any lo...

Politics

21 h. ago Reeves dismisses Tory claims of ‘Benefits Street budget’ – UK politics live

Chancellor says 60% of families that will be better off after the two-child limit is scrapped are in workAsk the Guardian your budget questionsBudget calculator: find out if you are better or worse offThe Conservative party is attacking the budget on the grounds that Rachel Reeves is putting up taxes supposedly to fund more spending on benefit claimants. Even though the rationale for this claim is questionable, the Tories were making it before the budget was announced, and Kemi Badenoch firmed it up last night, claiming it was a “Benefits Street budget”.On LBC this morning, asked if the budget meant “alarm clock Britain paying for Benefits Street”, Reeves said she did not accept that. She said 60% of the families that would benefit from the removal of the two-child benefit cap (the most expensive welfare announcement in the budget) were in work.I don’t think children should be punished by this pernicious policy any longer. And the cost to society of this is huge, the cost for counci...

Politics

25 h. ago Rachel Reeves has badly failed to show mettle with the UK Budget

Rachel Reeves needed to be more upfront with the public - but she has failed, writes John McLaren

Events

25 h. ago Rachel Reeves’s budget has inflamed, not calmed, Britain’s febrile mood | Martin Kettle

The chancellor’s statement will be remembered for the many taxes it raised, rather than the big one – income tax – it did notRachel Reeves’s chancellorship was already balanced on a knife-edge, even before the 2025 budget. After she delivered her second budget statement, it still is. Even more than usual, Wednesday’s speech was full of significant fiscal changes, altered spending commitments and adjusted economic forecasts, most of them accidentally (and, for journalists, conveniently) released a short while in advance by the obviously misnamed Office for Budget Responsibility. Politically, however, almost nothing has changed at all.Reeves arrived in the Treasury last year offering what she, like Keir Starmer, had promised as the Conservative years ebbed: competence, stability and, above all, a focus on economic growth. Her problem, despite her upbeat assessments, is that she has delivered none of them. Nothing about the 2025 budget guarantees any early change in that, however defia...

Politics

35 h. ago Budget ‘missed opportunity’ to tackle rising cost of living – O’Neill

Northern Ireland’s First Minister said instead of ‘real action’ to bring down bills, many will now face higher tax bills in the year ahead.

Economics

37 h. ago Farage says he thought Enoch Powell was right to raise scale of community change

The Reform UK leader also suggested people complaining about his behaviour at school had ‘different political views to me’.

Politics

38 h. ago UK Budget RECAP: SNP on 'absolute chaos' for Scotland as Rachel Reeves defends tax rises

The UK Budget was a crucial moment for under-pressure Sir Keir Starmer and his Chancellor Rachel Reeves - the markets seem happy, but what will the ultimate fallout be?

Economics

38 h. ago Nigel Farage jokes late Queen could have been 'Putin sympathiser'

Keir Starmer had demanded an investigation into links between Reform UK and Russia following the party’s former leader in Wales being sentenced to more than a decade behind bars for

Politics

39 h. ago UK Budget LIVE: OBR forecast leaked early in error as SNP claim 'absolute chaos' for Scotland

The UK Budget was a crucial moment for under pressure Sir Keir Starmer and his Chancellor Rachel Reeves - the markets seem happy but what will the fall out be?

Events

42 h. ago Farage should apologise after ‘unconvincing’ response to racism claims – Starmer

The Reform UK leader has faced backlash after allegations emerged that he engaged in alleged incidents of deeply offensive behaviour as a teenager.

Events