2 h. ago Rachel Reeves live: Economists fear more tax hikes in autumn Budget after UK borrowing soars

Rachel Reeves is preparing for crucial talks with her US counterpart as she pushes to secure a trade deal

Economics

5 h. ago Rachel Reeves US talks live: Pressure mounts on chancellor as UK borrowing soars ahead of Trump trade showdown

The chancellor is preparing for crucial Washington talks with Donald Trump's Treasury secretary

Politics

6 h. ago UK borrowing surges, Rachel Reeves to "defend Britain" in US tariff talks while Elon Musk shifts Tesla focus

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Politics

7 h. ago Rachel Reeves US talks live: Chancellor in Washington for major Trump trade deal talks

The chancellor is preparing for crucial Washington talks with Donald Trump's Treasury secretary

Politics

7 h. ago Rachel Reeves US talks live: Chancellor under pressure to secure Trump trade deal

The chancellor is preparing for crucial Washington talks with Donald Trump's Treasury secretary

Politics

8 h. ago Rachel Reeves US talks live: Chancellor under pressure to secure Trump trade deal amid tax hike fears

The chancellor is preparing for crucial Washington talks with Donald Trump's Treasury secretary

Economics

16 h. ago Chancellor vows to defend British interests ahead of meetings in Washington

Rachel Reeves will meet American counterpart Scott Bessant for talks on an economic deal between the US and UK.

Politics

24 h. ago Britain's growth outlook is slashed 0.5% by IMF in fresh blow to Rachel Reeves as she jets off to Washington for crunch talks as Trump's tariff war tests 'resilience of global economy'

Britain's growth outlook has been downgraded by the International Monetary Fund in a fresh blow for Labour - as Donald Trump's tariff wars deliver a severe hit to the global economy.

Politics

4 d. 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

2 w. ago Tariffs driving India to strike trade deals, finance minister says ahead of UK talks

Nirmala Sitharam says turmoil forcing countries to seek accords beyond old ideological and political tiesIndia is seeking to strike more trade deals with other countries at a time of “global uncertainty”, its finance minister, Nirmala Sitharam, said before talks with the UK chancellor, Rachel Reeves.Sitharam, who serves as finance and corporate affairs minister in Narendra Modi’s government, said she was hopeful the UK and India would finalise a free trade deal “sooner rather than later”. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago Keir Starmer is one of Labour’s most rightwing prime ministers. And one of its most leftwing, too | Andy Beckett

The PM offers a political hybrid designed for a fickle electorate. There are short-term electoral gains to be won, but risks in the long termFor more than eight months now, since shortly after Labour won power, more and more people have been outraged by the government’s moves to the right. Starting with its decision to keep the Conservatives’ cruel two-child benefit cap last July, the government has regularly given these critics reasons to feel shocked, betrayed or just disappointed.From deportation videos to Keir Starmer’s declaration that “I like and respect” Donald Trump, from repeated public sector cuts to the chancellor Rachel Reeves’s talk of “tearing down regulatory barriers” in this week’s spring statement, Labour has often behaved as if the boundaries between its supposedly centre-left politics and the politics of the right or even the far right have simply melted away. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago UK having ‘extensive’ talks with US on car import tariffs, Rachel Reeves says

A 25% tariff on vehicles imported to the US will come into effect on April 2.

Politics

4 w. ago Spring statement: Reeves blames ‘global uncertainty’ for deeper spending cuts

Chancellor says tougher measures required to plug fiscal hole after Treasury watchdog halves 2025 growth forecastSpring statement: key pointsAnalysis: Reeves does reasonable job of justifying fiscal prudence but welfare cuts cast shadowPolitics live – updatesRachel Reeves blamed “global uncertainty” as she announced swingeing cuts to welfare and other public spending designed to plug a fiscal hole caused by soaring borrowing costs and sluggish economic growth.The chancellor told the Commons that the UK’s growth forecast for this year had been halved from 2% to 1% by the Treasury watchdog, which concluded that the chancellor would have missed her goal of balancing the books if she did not act. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago What to expect from Rachel Reeves’s (brief) spring statement

Talk of tough choices ahead, an increase in debt financing, and more initiatives to promote growthThe spring statement offers an opportunity for Rachel Reeves to talk about progress since last October’s budget, the government’s growth agenda and how it is attempting to raise living standards. However, the chancellor’s message is likely to be defensive after being blown off course in recent months.Last year she promised “no return to austerity”. But after stalled tax receipts denied her the income she expected, and concerns over the global economy and Donald Trump’s antics raised the UK’s borrowing costs, Reeves is being forced to make cuts to stay within her budget rules. Here is what to expect from Reeves’s speech, which is predicted to be relatively short at just 25 minutes. Continue reading...

Politics