65 m. ago Labour's class war is about to get worse. This mean and petty act takes your money from your children. Could Rachel Reeves be so stupid? Yes she could: STEPHEN GLOVER

What is it about this Government? Just when one thinks it can sink no lower, it plumbs new depths of idiocy.

Events

2 h. ago Starmer ‘set to revive Northern Powerhouse Rail plan’ to boost UK infrastructure

Sir Keir Starmer is set to make the announcement before the Labour conference in a speech with chancellor Rachel Reeves

Politics

2 h. ago Reeves pledges to tackle productivity challenge at autumn budget

Labour’s second year in power will be focused on ‘building a stronger economy for a renewed Britain’, the Chancellor said.

Politics

2 h. ago Inheritance tax will apply to pension pots... even if workers die before retirement as Rachel Reeves tries to fill financial black hole

The Chancellor announced last year that retirement savings will be subject to the levy from April 2027.

Economics

7 h. ago Boosting productivity will be main priority of my autumn budget, Reeves says

Exclusive: Chancellor says ‘investment and reform are our tools’ as she pushes back against mounting tax speculationRachel Reeves: Labour has fixed the foundations – now we must build a stronger economy for a renewed BritainRachel Reeves has promised to use her autumn budget to prioritise fixing Britain’s dismal record on productivity as she sought to downplay mounting tax speculation with a focus on economic growth.Setting out her priorities for the budget for the first time, the chancellor said tackling the efficiency of the economy through higher investment and a fresh assault on planning rules would form the backbone of her tax and spending plans. Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago Boosting productivity will be main priority of autumn budget, Reeves says

Exclusive: Chancellor focuses on investment and planning rules as she dismisses talk of tax rises as ‘speculation’Rachel Reeves: Labour has fixed the foundations – now we must build a stronger economy for a renewed BritainRachel Reeves has promised to use her autumn budget to prioritise fixing Britain’s dismal record on productivity as she sought to downplay mounting tax speculation with a focus on economic growth.Setting out her priorities for the budget for the first time, the chancellor said tackling the efficiency of the economy through higher investment and a fresh assault on planning rules would form the backbone of her tax and spending plans. Continue reading...

Politics

9 h. ago Rachel Reeves is coming after your inheritance, this is what you should do NOW to protect yourself, writes SIMON LAMBERT

Inheritance tax pollutes people's views on the tax system's fairness but Rachel Reeves is rumoured to be mulling plans to useit to wind up taxpayers even more

Politics

11 h. ago Voices: Labour can’t hit ‘working people’, so now they’re after people who used to work

Whatever weasel words they may use to justify any changes to inheritance tax, the message is clear: you’re better off not making money under Labour, because they will get you in the long run, writes Chris Blackhurst

Events

11 h. ago Reeves accused of ‘punishing families’ with inheritance tax raid – that still ‘won’t fill Labour’s blackhole’

Former government economist Jonathan Portes told The Independent changes to inheritance tax would not raise enough to plug the UK’s multi-billion-pound fiscal shortfall

Politics

15 h. ago Rachel Reeves looking to tighten inheritance tax rules as Chancellor scrambles to fix UK's ailing finances

The Chancellor is examining whether to harden the rules on the gifting of money and assets ahead of the Autumn Budget

Economics

17 h. ago 'Politics of envy': Fury as Labour opens the door to an inheritance tax raid on Middle England as ministers fail to deny push to end tax

Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, failed to rule out changes to the so-called 'death tax' this autumn amid growing concerns about the state of the public finances.

Politics

17 h. ago Major inheritance tax change talks as Sky News host grills minister on plan

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly exploring changes to inheritance tax - such as tightening the rules around gifting - as she battles to plug a hole in the public finances

Politics

17 h. ago Keir Starmer ‘plans rise in inheritance tax’ to ease debt crisis

Critics see inheritance tax, charged on estates valued at more than £325,000, as being a wealth tax in all but name

Economics

22 h. ago Inheritance tax changes under consideration amid spending gap concerns – reports

Government U-turns over winter fuel payments and welfare reform have left Chancellor Rachel Reeves with a multibillion-pound fiscal shortfall.

Economics

24 h. ago Dragons' Den icon Theo Paphitis warns 'high streets will not survive if shops are hit in next Budget'

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already increased business rates - with speculation growing she may pile on the pain in the autumn.

Events

25 h. ago Treasury ‘considers inheritance tax reforms’ to fill £50bn spending gap in budget

The Treasury is reportedly drawing up options on inheritance tax ahead of the autumn Budget

Economics

29 h. ago Now Rachel Reeves plots inheritance tax raid on Middle England to plug huge gap in public finances as Tories blast Labour's 'politics of envy'

The Chancellor is said to be looking at tightening rules on gifting of money and assets before someone passes away to address an estimated £50billion spending hole at the next Budget .

Politics

36 h. ago London suffers worst unemployment rate in UK as Chancellor admits 'more to do' on jobs

Some 6% of Londoners are unemployed while one in five are classed as economically inactive, according to the latest statistics

Politics

38 h. ago Reeves concedes Government has ‘more to do’ as unemployment at four

The Chancellor insisted Labour had been ‘creating more jobs’ since entering office despite vacancy numbers declining over the last quarter.

Politics

38 h. ago Reeves orders fresh planning overhaul for ‘critical’ infrastructure projects

Officials asked to draw up proposals for second bill that would include scaling back judicial reviews for major works

Politics