9 d. ago Trump says it may be better to let Ukraine and Russia ‘fight for a while’

US president casts doubt on peace efforts as German chancellor urges him to increase pressure on MoscowEurope live – latest updatesDonald Trump has said it may be better to let Ukraine and Russia “fight for a while” rather than pursue peace immediately, as the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, urged him to increase pressure on Russia.During the Oval Office meeting, Trump voiced doubts about the potential success of peace talks, saying “sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Gaza aid points close for day as Israel warns against travel to distribution centres – Israel

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation halts limited supply of food distribution after at least 27 killed by Israeli fire as they waited for food Iran’s supreme leader on Wednesday criticised an initial proposal from the United States in negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme, though he stopped short of entirely rejecting the idea of agreement with Washington. According to the Associated Press (AP), Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the US proposal as “100% against the idea of ‘we can,’” borrowing from an Iranian government slogan. He also said that Tehran needed to keep its ability to enrich uranium. “If we had 100 nuclear power plants while not having enrichment, they are not usable for us,” Khamenei said. “If we do not have enrichment, then we should extend our hand (begging) to the US.” However, some nuclear power nations get uranium from outside suppliers, reports the AP. Details of the American proposal remain unclear after five rounds of talks between Iran and th...

Events

1 week ago Reeves urged to raise taxes and cut public spending as UK growth to stall after Trump tariffs

Labour chancellor under pressure from the OECD ahead of upcoming spending review

Economics

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves told it is ‘impossible’ to invest in growth, public services and net zero in spending review

Labour chancellor under pressure over spending plans as deputy prime minister Angela Rayner among those whose departments fail to settle budget with the Treasury

Economics

2 w. ago Is Rachel Reeves planning a 'stealth' tax raid on pensions? HMRC explores shake

The Chancellor is under growing pressure to raise billions of pounds to fund extra spending commitments and rising borrowing costs ahead of her autumn Budget .

Economics

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves should invest extra money in economic growth, not spend it on U

Exclusive: Call from former Treasury minister Jim O’Neill will pile pressure on chancellor and PM amid demands for hat-trick of U-turns on winter fuel allowance, two-child benefit cap and disability payments

Economics

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves should invest extra money in economic growth, not U

Exclusive: Call from former Treasury adviser Lord O’Neill will pile pressure on chancellor and PM amid demands for hat-trick of U-turns on winter fuel allowance, two-child benefit cap and disability payments

Economics

2 w. ago Experts warn tax rises ‘feel inevitable’ at Autumn Budget after jump in Uk Government borrowing

Income tax bands are different in Scotland, but the Personal Allowance of £12,570 is universal across the UK.

Events

3 w. ago Tax rises ‘feel inevitable’ after jump in Government borrowing

The Office for National Statistics said public sector net borrowing rose to £20.2 billion, its fourth-highest April figure on record.

Politics

3 w. ago More blows for Rachel Reeves as government borrowing hit highest outside Covid in April despite huge NICs raid... with signs the economy is still stalling

Embattled Rachel Reeves saw the public sector rack up £20.2billion of borrowing last month, far more than the £17.6billion analysts had expected.

Politics

3 w. ago UK government borrowing rises to £20.2 billion as pressure mounts on Rachel Reeves

The latest figure showed that the Chancellor had to borrow more money than expected over the month

Economics

3 w. ago Another hammer blow for Rachel Reeves as government borrowing soared to highest outside Covid in April despite huge NICs raid on firms

Embattled Rachel Reeves saw the public sector rack up £20.2billion of borrowing last month, far more than the £17.6billion analysts had expected.

Politics

3 w. ago Pressure on Chancellor after Government borrowing jumps to £20.2bn

The Office for National Statistics said public sector net borrowing rose to its fourth-highest April figure on record.

Politics

3 w. ago UK borrowing rises to £20.2bn, putting pressure on Rachel Reeves

April figure more than expected and comes despite increase in employer national insurance contributionsBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK government borrowed more than expected in April, underscoring the challenge for Rachel Reeves to fix public services and grow the economy while meeting her fiscal rules.With the chancellor under pressure on Labour’s tax plans, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing rose to £20.2bn in April, £1bn more than the same month a year earlier. City economists had forecast borrowing of £17.9bn. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago Pressure mounts on Chancellor as inflation races to highest for more than a year

Official figures show Consumer Prices Index inflation jumped to 3.5% in April, up from 2.6% in March.

Economics

3 w. ago The Guardian view on Britain’s new aid vision: less cash, more spin. The cost will be counted in lives | Editorial

With development assistance cuts, ministers have traded responsibility for rhetoric and borrowed from Donald Trump’s playbook Last week, the government justified cutting the UK’s development budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income – the lowest level in more than 25 years – by claiming Britain’s role is now to “share expertise”, not hand out cash. With a straight face, the minister responsible, Jenny Chapman, told MPs on the international development committee that the age of the UK as “a global charity” was over. But this isn’t reinvention – it’s abdication, wrapped in spin. No wonder Sarah Champion, the Labour MP who is chair of the committee, called Lady Chapman’s remarks “naive” and “disrespectful”. Behind the slogans lies a brutal truth: lives will be lost, and Britain no longer cares. Dressing that up as the “new normal” doesn’t make it less callous.Kevin Watkins of the London School of Economics analysed the cuts and found no soft-landing options. He suggests chartin...

Economics