1 hour ago Reeves faces welfare revolt after Labour rebels rejected an 'olive branch' designed to head off a Commons mutiny over benefit cuts

The Chancellor is facing a ferocious backlash from her own MPs over plans to trim £5 billion from the benefits bill.

Politics

3 h. ago Tax hikes will force retailers to push up prices, cut jobs and halt shop openings retail chief warns Rachel Reeves

The latest alert was issued by Andy Higginson, the chairman of JD Sports and the British Retail Consortium industry group.

Events

8 h. ago Chancellor Rachel Reeves promises to 'change the future' in Wales visit

Ms Reeves was visiting Wales in the wake of her decision to allocate Wales £445m for rail projects in her multi-year spending review this week

Politics

10 h. ago Why there's plenty to like in Rachel Reeves' Spending Review for Edinburgh

The Chancellor’s Spending Review announcements should be welcomed, writes Edinburgh City Council leader Jane Megaher.

Politics

11 h. ago Tories demand OBR steps in to scrutinise Rachel Reeves' spending plans amid alarm that her sums don't add up without tax hikes

Conservative MP Gareth Davies, the shadow financial secretary to the Treasury, called for the watchdog to assess Chancellor Rachel Reeves' proposals.

Economics

13 h. ago Pensioners who challenged winter fuel payment decision in court lose case

Peter and Florence Fanning, from North Lanarkshire, lost their entitlement to financial support and became worried about paying their bills.

Economics

13 h. ago DWP shares exact date Brits must be born by to get 2025 winter fuel payment

Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that nine million people who had the £200-300 benefit axed last winter will get it this year

Politics

13 h. ago Private schools vow to continue fees VAT fight as High Court rejects challenge

Private schools and pupils challenged the government in court over its VAT fee policy

Events

14 h. ago Private schools LOSE High Court battle with government over VAT on fees but vow to appeal

Private schools and pupils challenged the government in court over its VAT fee policy

Events

15 h. ago Police 'won't prioritise phone thefts and shoplifting' with fewer bobbies on the beat as a result of Rachel Reeves' spending review, sources claim

The Chancellor's plans for a 2.3 per cent rise in police spending between 2023-24 and 2028-29 has dismayed police leaders, who insist the funding will leave a £1.2 billion shortfall.

Economics

16 h. ago Private schools LOSE High Court battle with government over VAT on fees

Private schools and pupils challenged the government in court over its VAT fee policy

Events

19 h. ago Readers Letters: Believe carbon capture project support when we see it

Chancellor Rachel Reeves says financial backing for the Acorn carbon capture and storage project is coming but when, asks reader

Politics

25 h. ago Any pride women felt about Rachel Reeves being the first female Chancellor has been flushed down the U

Labour has always had a woman problem and now it has the woman problem to end them all.

Politics

31 h. ago Keir Starmer must come to the defence of his chancellor’s spending review

Editorial: In spite of Rachel Reeves’s much-vaunted increase in MoD expenditure, a rise to 2.6 per cent of GDP can only be achieved by draining the overseas aid budget, reallocating intelligence agency funds, and other sleights of hand. When the prime minister faces Nato leaders, including Donald Trump, he will have no choice but to spin the numbers

Politics

33 h. ago UK’s FTSE 100 share index hits record closing high despite economy shrinking in April – business live

UK economy shrank by 0.3% in April, biggest fall since October 2023, as trade with the US slumped.. but FTSE 100 ends at new record closeFull story: UK economy shrinks by 0.3% as as exports hit by Trump trade warNicholas Hyett, Investment Manager at Wealth Club, blames “a cocktail of headwinds to growth” for the 0.3% fall in UK GDP in April.Hyett says:In the very short term the change to Stamp Duty rules have put the legal and property services on ice - with legal activities down 10.2% month-on-month.New barriers to trade with the US and changes to employment costs, from a higher living wage and increased national insurance contributions, are a longer term challenge.“The 0.3% m/m fall in real GDP in April supports our view that the strength in Q1 was unsustainable. This won’t prompt the Bank of England to cut interest rates next Thursday. But it is one more piece of news pointing to another cut in August.”We still expect the Bank Rate to be maintained at 4.25% in the June meeting, t...

Economics

34 h. ago Finance convener calls on Scottish Government to ensure North Lanarkshire benefits from Chancellor’s spending review

Councillor Andrew Duffy-Lawson has urged the government at Holyrood to ensure that North Lanarkshire receives its fair share of the recently announced investment in Scottish public services as a result of the announcement from Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Politics

34 h. ago Rachel Reeves hit with headache after economy shrinks amid fresh fears of tax hikes

The Office for National Statistics said the UK economy shrank by 0.3% in April. Meanwhile, experts are warning that council tax bills will rise following Chancellor Rachel Reeves's spending review

Economics

35 h. ago Poorest Brits to benefit most from Rachel Reeves's Spending Review

The poorest Brits will benefit most from Rachel Reeves’s public sector spending spree but tax rises look likely in the autumn, think tank the Resolution Foundation has said

Politics

36 h. ago NHS waiting lists fall to lowest level in two years...but number of patients waiting over a year on the rise

The news comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave the NHS a cash injection of an extra £29 billion per year.

Science

38 h. 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