65 m. ago 'Sheer incompetence': John Swinney urged to cut taxes amid £1.1bn economic performance gap

The Scottish Conservatives say the First Minister should cut taxes following the Chancellor’s spending review.

Economics

68 m. 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

76 m. 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

76 m. ago Voices: First the spending review, now the economy – what else lies in wait for Rachel Reeves?

Official figures showed UK plc plunged into the red in April, contracting by 0.3 per cent. There is no sugar-coating how bad of a result that is for the chancellor, writes James Moore

Economics

1 hour ago Reeves only a ‘gnat’s whisker’ from having to raise taxes in autumn, says IFS – UK politics live

Institute for Fiscal Studies says figures for projected departmental efficiencies savings from Treasury are not credibleReeves gambles on ‘renewing Britain’ to win voters’ trustRachel Reeves is now on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. Susannah Reid and Richard Madeley are interviewing her.Q: You must be disappointed about the growth figures? Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Voices: UK aid cuts are even harsher than they first appeared. And the scale is horrifying

Many of us hoped the worst damage could be avoided, writes Sarah Champion, chair of the International Development Select Committee – but the spending review has dashed that

Politics

2 h. 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

2 h. 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

3 h. ago The Spending Review: the property announcements in spending plans revealed

All the housing announcements from the Government’s Spending Review

Politics

3 h. ago Reeves slaps down Sadiq Khan for saying Met Police will have to impose cuts after spending review

London mayor Sir Sadiq warns the capital will have fewer officers in a rare ‘red on red’ clash with the Labour chancellor

Events

4 h. ago UK Government ‘committed’ to Acorn carbon capture project in Scotland – minister

Kirsty McNeill said the inclusion of development funding for the scheme in the spending review shows the Government’s support for it.

Politics

4 h. ago Rachel Reeves came out fighting — but there are big problems down the line

Analysis: Chancellor accused of unveiling a spending review which is ‘full off numbers, few of them useful’

Politics

5 h. ago Spending review in five charts: Who are the winners and losers in Rachel Reeves’ plan?

Departmental spending will increase by 2.3 per cent each year, with some areas seeing real-terms losses, writes Alicja Hagopian

Politics

5 h. ago The UK is turning into a 'National Health State', experts say after Rachel Reeves' spending review

The Resolution Foundation warned that funding for the NHS was increasingly coming at the expense of other public services

Science

5 h. ago Business news live: FTSE 100 flat as UK economy stalls after Asia stocks down overnight

Market reaction and business news ahead of the government’s spending review

Economics

5 h. ago Rachel Reeves refuses to rule out Autumn Budget tax rises as economy shrinks 0.3% in April

Latest GDP estimate worse than the 0.1% fall expected by economists

Economics

5 h. ago Government Spending Review 2025: Economy shrinks as NHS spending surges and struggling councils miss out

From a surprise economic slump and warnings of a “National Health State”, to council funding concerns, a 74 per cent house price surge, and rising Tesco sales - here are today’s top UK business stories.

Politics

8 h. ago Acorn project funding uncertainty as 'final decision' still to be made by Chancellor Rachel Reeves

Concerns have emerged over how much funding the Chancellor will hand over for the Acorn project.

Politics

8 h. ago Rachel Reeves seized her moment – whatever the future brings, Labour’s economic course is now set | Martin Kettle

The chancellor is no mere technocrat: her spending review revealed a visceral commitment to social and economic mobilityThe consensus has long been that the 2025 spending review would be a defining moment for Keir Starmer’s government. For once, the consensus proved spot-on. The government’s main priorities were set out on Wednesday in a blizzard of Commons announcements from Rachel Reeves, some economically substantive, others more for show. The upshot is that the shape of the British state, as Labour intends it, is now decided until the eve of the next election.There are further crossroads still to come, some of them major, as the years covered by the review unroll. Taxes are likely to rise, probably as soon as the autumn budget, to pay for Reeves’s big ticket boosts on Wednesday for defence, health and housing. Council tax could rise too, with possibly dramatic results. The review’s emphasis on capital spending means current spending could be squeezed again, perhaps heralding pay...

Economics

8 h. ago No new money to help cut UK business’s energy costs in spending review

Talks on scheme failed to reach deal before Wednesday’s announcement

Economics