10 h. ago Rachel Reeves faces wrath of unions over cuts to Britain's bloated Civil Service as '50,000 jobs could go'

Chancellor says she was ‘confident’ Civil Service numbers could be reduced by 10,000, but one union chief says the cuts could lead to some 50,000 staff being let go

Politics

12 h. ago Spring statement will not ‘alter the basics’, PM insists when questioned on cuts

The Prime Minister said his Government was ‘looking across the board’ at spending, when asked if cuts were coming for unprotected departments.

Politics

14 h. ago Rachel Reeves faces wrath of unions over Civil Service cuts 'that could see 50,000 jobs axed'

Chancellor says she was ‘confident’ Civil Service numbers could be reduced by 10,000, but one union chief says the cuts could lead to some 50,000 staff being let go

Politics

26 h. ago Rachel Reeves denies Labour is pursuing austerity ahead of spring statement

It comes after a backlash to cuts to welfare spending and a decision to slash the aid budget to fund a boost to defence spending.

Politics

34 h. ago Rachel Reeves denies Labour is pursuing austerity as Civil Service cuts confirmed

It comes after a backlash to cuts to welfare spending and a decision to slash the aid budget to fund a boost to defence spending.

Politics

36 h. 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

45 h. ago Rachel Reeves has six months to save her job: Rattled Labour MPs issue stark warning to Chancellor as unease over her £15bn plan to slash state spending  intensifies

The Chancellor is expected to announce deeper than expected cuts in her Spring Statement on Wednesday after she was forced to borrow an extra £20 billion over the first 11 months of the fiscal year

Events

50 h. ago Spring Statement: Rachel Reeves to argue defence cash will boost jobs

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will argue the "world is changing" - and Labour needs to move quickly to ensure the safety of the country as well as the economy

Politics

53 h. ago DAN HODGES: Rachel Reeves has trashed the economy. But I have a bold suggestion on how she can rescue it and protect hard

First Rachel Reeves came for the pensioners. Then it was the nation's small businessmen and women. Followed by the farmers. But that wasn't enough.

Events

57 h. ago Rachel Reeves says Labour can’t ‘tax and spend our way to higher living standards’ before spring statement

Chancellor warned ‘that's not available in the world we live in today’ as she prepares to unveil cuts on Wednesday

Economics

58 h. ago How did it come to this? Labour’s journey from landslide victory to ‘deep unhappiness’

Rachel Reeves’s speech next week is being crafted as a ‘re-education’ on Labour’s achievements amid gloominess and sinking poll ratingsWhen Rachel Reeves takes to her feet in the Commons to deliver her spring statement next week, she will try to pull off what her inner circle describe as a “re-education” exercise over how Labour has used its early days in power.“We want it to be a re-education on all the good things we’ve already done in office,” said one, listing achievements including increasing the minimum wage, cutting NHS waiting lists and improving workers’ rights. “We want everybody to hear it.” Continue reading...

Politics

59 h. ago Rachel Reeves says 'we can't tax and spend our way to higher living standards' in Spring Statement as high government borrowing leaves her little room for manoeuvre

The Chancellor (pictured) is under pressure to increase taxes or cut spending to successfully carry out October's Budget as borrowing has been high and growth figures have been disappointing.

Politics

61 h. ago ‘We want everybody to hear it’: Labour to use spring statement to showcase early successes

Rachel Reeves’s fiscal speech next week is being carefully crafted as a ‘re-education’ on Labour’s achievements When Rachel Reeves takes to her feet in the Commons to deliver her spring statement next week, she will try to pull off what her inner circle describe as a “re-education” exercise over how Labour has used its early days in power.“We want it to be a re-education on all the good things we’ve already done in office,” said one, listing achievements including increasing the minimum wage, cutting NHS waiting lists and improving workers’ rights. “We want everybody to hear it.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Why is Rachel Reeves about to kill off the night out? ...The Standard podcast

Plus, how much bottomless lasagne can one man eat? David reviews his recent trip down to Senza Fondo.

Events

4 d. ago Government not ‘blindly cutting spending’ or heading for austerity – minister

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones also said cuts to spending at next week’s spring statement would not be an admission of economic failure.

Politics

5 d. ago Where else will the axe fall as the economy stalls? Rachel Reeves 'must still slash £10bn from spending' in Spring Statement next week despite Labour uproar at crackdown on benefits

Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement next Wednesday had originally been billed as a low-key update, after she vowed only to hold one Budget a year.

Economics

7 d. ago Labour meltdown over cutting benefits as announcement looms: Rachel Reeves lashes out at 'not serious' calls for extra borrowing to protect handouts

As tensions mount ahead of plans being unveiled tomorrow, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has warned the PM that reducing eligibility could leave people 'trapped in poverty'.

Politics

7 d. ago £620 April car tax bill looms for many drivers thanks to old Jeremy Hunt scheme

The former Conservative Chancellor introduced a tax move that the current Labour Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is not expected to change, warns Auto Trader

Economics

7 d. ago Chancellor should raise taxes not cut spending to meet fiscal rules – think tank

Rachel Reeves faces a challenge to meet her fiscal rules amid faltering growth and higher borrowing costs.

Economics

8 d. ago Labour's benefits crackdown 'set to cut disability payments for 1 million people'

The huge changes to the welfare system, due to be announced next week, will see only the most severely disabled people qualify for support amid an overhaul of eligibility criteria.

Economics