24 m. ago Disengaging from China on business would be ‘foolish’, Rachel Reeves says

Chancellor supports economic ties with Beijing as she prepares to fly to US next week for trade deal talksRachel Reeves has dismissed the idea of economically disengaging from China, amid concerns the US may put pressure on the UK to limit its deals with Beijing.The chancellor, who will discuss a trade deal with the US on a trip to Washington next week, said it would be “very foolish” for Britain to have less involvement with Xi Jinping’s administration. Continue reading...

Politics

9 h. ago Rachel Reeves calls for Britain to forge closer ties with Beijing in show of force against Donald Trump after he slapped 245 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports

It would be 'very foolish' for Britain to disengage with China, Rachel Reeves has said as she attempts to draw a line in the sand with the US over their treatment of Beijing.

Politics

10 h. ago Rachel Reeves warns UK won't accept US trade deal if red lines are crossed

In an interview with The Mirror the Chancellor Rachel Reeves voiced her optimism an agreement can be reached to tackle the misery caused by Donald Trump's tariffs

Events

11 h. ago Starmer urges free trade in first call with Trump after UK hit by sweeping US tariffs

It comes as Rachel Reeves is due to hold talks with the White House next week amid efforts to strike a trade deal

Politics

33 h. ago Rachel Reeves set to meet White House officials at US summit next week as hopes of trade deal with Washington grow

The Chancellor confirmed yesterday she will have 'conversations with the US administration' when she travels to America for a summit.

Politics

40 h. ago Government risked ‘throwing good money after bad’ in steel talks – Reeves

‘Government are going to play a big role’ in the future of steelmaking in Scunthorpe, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said.

Politics

41 h. ago Rachel Reeves says Government is going to play a 'big role' in Scunthorpe steel

The Chancellor visited the British Steel facility in Scunthorpe after MPs voted to let ministers take control of the company to prevent Chinese owners Jingye from closing down Britain's last remaining blast furnaces

Politics

54 h. ago Temu and Shein drop US ad spending as they face tariffs on even small sales

E-tailers also hiking prices after Donald Trump ends ‘de minimis’ exemption for cheap shipments from China and Hong KongTemu and Shein are cutting back their spending on US social media advertising as they lose an exemption on tariffs for many of their shipments from China and Hong Kong.The online e-tailers, both of which ship low-priced China-made goods direct to US shoppers, had been on an ad spree until recently. But under an executive order from Donald Trump, as of 2 May their sales valued at under $800 will no longer be exempt from US tariffs. Continue reading...

Economics

58 h. ago UK advertisers cut spending for the first time in four years on tariff turmoil

More companies are reducing ad budgets than increasing them, trade body finds

Economics

69 h. ago Dutton admits he made mistake on Indonesia in ABC leaders’ debate as Albanese evasive on electricity prices

Opposition leader also says ‘I’ll let scientists pass that judgment’ when asked if climate change impacts getting worse in second showdownPolls tracker; election guide; full federal election coverageAnywhere but Canberra; interactive electorates guideListen to the first episode of our new narrative podcast series: GinaGet our afternoon election email, free app or daily news podcastPeter Dutton has admitted he made a mistake by wrongly claiming the Indonesian president had announced a proposal for Russia to base military aircraft in Indonesia, and declined to state whether the impacts of climate change were getting worse.The opposition leader has also confirmed his plan to reduce the size of the federal public service by 41,000 positions by 2030 would not pay for the entirety of the Coalition’s policy platform, suggesting further cuts to government spending may be necessary.Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Inflation falls to just 2.6% as cost of filling up the car drops on lower oil price

The main reasons for the fall included lower fuel prices and softer hotel rates

Economics

3 d. ago Relief for Rachel Reeves as inflation dipped to 2.6% in March

Headline CPI was 2.6 per cent in March, down from 2.8 per cent in February and better than the 2.7 per cent analysts had pencilled in.

Economics

4 d. ago Trump memo outlines plan to slash US state department budget in half

Cuts would mean dramatic decreases in funding for humanitarian aid, global health and international groupsThe Trump administration is reportedly proposing to slash the state department budget by nearly half in a move that could drastically reduce US international spending and end its funding for Nato and the United Nations, according to an internal memorandum.The memo based on spending cuts devised by the White House office of management and budget envisions the total budget of the state department and USAID, the main foreign assistance body which has been largely dismantled by Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency”, or Doge, being reduced to $28.4bn, a reduction of $27bn or 48% from what Congress approved for 2025. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Keir Starmer's team releases tax bill and it's very different to Rishi Sunak's

Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner have released their tax returns for the first time since the general election - with the PM paying over £50,000 in tax while leader of the opposition

Economics

4 d. ago Starmer, Rayner and Reeves release tax returns for first time since election

The tax returns cover a period of time when Labour was still in opposition, the 2023-24 tax year.

Politics

4 d. ago Swinney pledges earlier legislative programme to help tackle tariff ‘challenges’

The First Minister also said Scots should be ‘prepared rather than scared’ about the economic challenges ahead.

Politics

6 d. ago Worst injured 7/7 survivor savages Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves for attacking society's most vulnerable in 'lunacy' cuts that leave disabled people terrified for the future

Dan Biddle, 46, lost both his legs, an eye and his spleen when a bomb went off on an Edgware Road Tube train nearly 20 years ago. He says Labour's welfare cuts are an attack on disabled people.

Events

7 d. ago Voices: Strong GDP growth is unexpected good news for Rachel Reeves – but there’s a ‘but’

The boost to the British economy froma jump in exports to the US will be short-lived – thanks to Trump’s trade war over tariffs, says James Moore

Politics

7 d. ago Allies agree record boost in military aid for Ukraine in ‘critical year’ for war

Germany’s defence minister told a press conference that there appeared to be little chance of peace ‘in the immediate future’.

Events

7 d. ago UK ‘resolved to get best deal’ with US, despite American doubts about carve out

Rachel Reeves is travelling to Poland on Friday to meet European finance ministers.

Economics