17 h. ago Who is running Britain’s economy – Rachel Reeves or Donald Trump?

The chancellor’s careful calculations for her spring statement are likely to be blown out of the water by a looming US trade war• From more tax to rewriting budget rules: six alternative ways Reeves could raise moneyAs Rachel Reeves powered through her spring statement on Wednesday, telling the country she was “restoring stability to the public finances” few in the House of Commons chamber seemed to know what to make of it all.Reeves’s message did not seem to resonate with the underlying mood of uncertainty and anxiety at home and abroad. Many Labour MP nodded loyally along with her, trying to impress the whips. Others on the government benches looked grave. Growth forecasts for this year had been halved. Money would have to be raised to meet the chancellor’s own fiscal rules, and the poorest would be the ones bearing the brunt. Continue reading...

Politics

22 h. ago It's time we wiped the smirks off the smug little faces of all the benefit cheats pretending to be disabled. These scroungers should be ASHAMED

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves is, rightly, raising the bar on who can qualify for disability benefits. She may be wrong in a lot of respects, but on this I can't fault her.

Politics

43 h. ago Rachel Reeves must rethink fiscal rules as social security cuts will inflict real pain

Writing for the Record, Stephen Boyd of IPPR Scotland urges Rachel Reeves to consider alternative means to raise badly needed revenues for public services.

Events

3 d. ago Rachel Reeves 'likely' to raise taxes in Autumn, Institute for Fiscal Studies say

It comes after a difficult Spring Statement

Events

3 d. ago UK politics live: Rachel Reeves may raise taxes ‘even further’ in autumn budget, IFS warns

Ms Reeves has denied there would be further tax rises or spending cuts at the Budget in the autumn but stopped short of ruling them out entirely

Events

3 d. ago ‘Good chance’ Reeves will have to raise taxes in autumn budget, thinktank says – UK politics live

Institute for Fiscal Studies also warns Reeves over her focus on sticking with fiscal rules regardless of real world eventsIn an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, said she would not accept free tickets for concerts again in the future.Asked about the controversy about her decision to accept two corporate tickets for a Sabrina Carpenter concert at the O2, she repeated the line that she used at her press conference yesterday – that a family member wanted to attend the concert (presumably one of her children, but she did not say that), and that she accepted tickets for a corporate box because security concerns meant it was not deemed safe for her to get normal tickets for the auditorium.I’m just saying I wouldn’t do it again. I felt I was doing the right thing. But I do understand perceptions.I am absolutely certain that our reforms, instead of pushing people into poverty, are going to get people into work.And we know that if you move from welfar...

Politics

3 d. ago Trump tariffs: Britain scrambling to strike last minute deal to avoid 25% levies on car imports to US

The US president’s tariff on cars move came only hours after Britain’s budget watchdog warned the levies could force Chancellor Rachel Reeves to raise taxes or cut spending

Economics

3 d. ago Trump tariffs: Reeves says UK isn't planning to retaliate 'at the moment' after US President slaps 25% levies on car imports

The move came only hours after Britain’s budget watchdog warned Trump’s threatened tariffs on the UK could force Chancellor Rachel Reeves to raise taxes or cut spending

Politics

3 d. ago Donald Trump imposes 25% tariffs on car imports dealing new blow to UK and global economy

The move came only hours after Britain’s budget watchdog warned Trump’s threatened tariffs on the UK could force Chancellor Rachel Reeves to raise taxes or cut spending

Economics

4 d. ago Spring statement will lead to six months of ‘damaging speculation’, IFS warns

The Institute for Fiscal Studies said Rachel Reeves’ adherence to fiscal rules will lead to speculation about tax hikes in the autumn budget.

Events

7 d. ago Reeves wriggles on Labour's economic slump: Chancellor denies triggering UK plc's slowdown as she admits 'hard' decisions coming on '£15bn' cuts in Spring Statement

Touring broadcast studios days before her crucial fiscal package, Rachel Reeves was forced to deny crushing activity by hiking taxes and talking down the economy.

Economics

9 d. ago ONS change to pension valuation is ‘fundamentally flawed’, think

Institute for Fiscal Studies accuses official statisticians of ‘jumbled economic reasoning’, in latest setback for agency

Economics

1 week ago Starmer must drop ‘cruel’ Pip proposals or face ‘mother of all rebellions’, Labour MP says – UK politics live

Richard Burgon says PM’s failure to defend new Pip eligibility rules at PMQs shows why ‘cruel’ plans should be droppedLast night, to back up its analysis of the disability cuts, the Institute for Fiscal Studies published two charts illustrating aspects of the changes.This one shows how the £5bn cuts announced yesterday compare in scale to previous benefit cuts, listed here in order of how big they were, in current prices. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Starmer defends ‘moral’ benefits cuts plan after Diane Abbott says most vulnerable are being used to balance books – UK politics live

Veteran Labour MP says ‘there is nothing moral’ about government plan to cut benefitsLast night, to back up its analysis of the disability cuts, the Institute for Fiscal Studies published two charts illustrating aspects of the changes.This one shows how the £5bn cuts announced yesterday compare in scale to previous benefit cuts, listed here in order of how big they were, in current prices. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago PMQs live: Kemi Badenoch challenges Keir Starmer over taxes and ‘emergency budget’ before next week’s spring statement

Prime minister takes questions in Commons after decision to slash disability paymentsLast night, to back up its analysis of the disability cuts, the Institute for Fiscal Studies published two charts illustrating aspects of the changes.This one shows how the £5bn cuts announced yesterday compare in scale to previous benefit cuts, listed here in order of how big they were, in current prices. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago Brits demand personal tax allowance raise from £12,570 to £20,000 as petition hits 190k

A campaign urging Chancellor Rachel Reeves to raise the tax threshold for state pensions in this year's Spring Statement has been signed by 190,000 people

Economics

2 w. ago A million more at risk of paying 40% tax: Chancellor may extend freeze on thresholds

Rachel Reeves is under pressure to raise taxes and cut spending to plug a £10 billion gap in the public finances or risk breaking her own borrowing rules.

Economics

3 w. ago Chancellor could have to break one annual fiscal event commitment – experts

The Chancellor will deliver a statement on March 26 in response to the latest forecast from the budget watchdog.

Politics