2 h. ago Rachel Reeves scrambles to play down claims she's facing a £50bn 'black hole' in the public finances as under

The Chancellor also sought to dampen speculation she is poised to announce a fresh package of tax rises on British businesses and households.

Economics

2 h. ago Reeves names last possible date for Budget as she eyes tax hikes to plug £40bn black hole

Sources tell The Independent the chancellor favours raising capital gains tax and introducing a gambling levy to plug the £40bn hole in public finances

Economics

5 h. ago Universe's first known black hole discovered – and could 'change everything'

Scientists have said it could be a primordial black hole, predicted to exist by Stephen Hawking but never before seen, and said it could change what we know about the formation of the universe.

Politics

9 h. ago Chancellor Rachel Reeves admits economy 'is not working well enough' as she reveals Budget date

The Chancellor is facing pressure to steady the UK economy and plug a £41 billion black hole in public finances

Economics

9 h. ago Economy ‘not working well enough’, says Reeves as she sets November 26 Budget

There are concerns that the Chancellor will be forced to hike taxes as she seeks to plug a black hole in the nation’s finances.

Economics

10 h. ago I haven't broken the economy, insists Reeves in desperate video plea amid bond market meltdown and fears of tax hike 'doom loop'... as she reveals Budget won't happen until November 26

Rachel Reeves attempted to calm markets by stressing her fiscal rules after interest rates on UK gilts crept up again this morning - having spiked to 27-year highs yesterday.

Economics

11 h. ago Autumn Budget date set for November 26, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announces

There are concerns that the Chancellor will be forced to hike taxes as she seeks to plug a black hole in the nation’s finances.

Politics

23 h. ago Tories will challenge Government to rule out property tax hikes

Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering ending the exemption from capital gains tax for more expensive homes.

Politics

26 h. ago Reeves’ tax hikes have hit ‘one in five job vacancies’ at small firms as Labour urged to fix ‘utter mess’

Exclusive: The Federation of Small Business has claimed Rachel Reeves does ‘not have the backs’ of its members as new analysis of official statistics by the Lib Dems has revealed the impact of the national insurance hike for employers

Economics

27 h. ago Readers' Letters: Edinburgh City Council could solved Swinney's cash problems

A reader has advice for John Swinney as he stares into a financial black hole

Politics

27 h. ago Readers' Letters: Edinburgh City Council could solve Swinney's cash problems

A reader has advice for John Swinney as he stares into a financial black hole

Politics

34 h. ago ‘A paradigm change’: black hole spotted that may have been created moments after big bang

Sighting by James Webb space telescope of black hole with sparse halo of material could upend theories of the universeAn ancient and “nearly naked” black hole that astronomers believe may have been created in the first fraction of a second after the big bang has been spotted by the James Webb space telescope.If confirmed as a so-called primordial black hole, a theoretical class of object predicted to exist by Stephen Hawking but never before seen, the discovery would upend prevailing theories of the universe. Continue reading...

Politics

50 h. ago Voices: Rachel Reeves risks becoming the ‘Chino Chancellor’ – chancellor in name only

By hiring Treasury second-in-command Darren Jones to work with him in No 10, with a new high-powered team of economic aides, Keir Starmer has effectively downgraded his chancellor, says Simon Walters

Events

53 h. ago Voices: Rachel Reeves risks becoming the ‘Cino’ Chancellor – chancellor in name only

By hiring Treasury second-in-command Darren Jones to work with him in No 10 – and with a new high-powered team of economic aides – Keir Starmer has effectively downgraded his chancellor, says Simon Walters

Events

56 h. ago Rachel Reeves admits Brits 'feel stuck' as dire poll finds nearly two

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing a brutal Budget reckoning this Autumn with warnings she has a black hole of up to £50billion to fill.

Politics

57 h. ago Starmer's 'tax fanatic' army: PM's bid to rein in Reeves with army of aides in desperate No10 reshuffle fuels tax hike fears

No10 communications director James Lyons announced he is leaving the role after a year amid a desperate effort to 'reset' the PM's team.

Politics

3 d. ago Brit drinkers 'are paying four times more tax on cocktails than Spain' as industry urges Reeves not to hike duty again at Budget

Excise duty on a standard 50ml double measure of gin, vodka or rum is 66p, double the level in France and Poland .

Economics

3 d. ago Voices: I’m a secondary school teacher: SEND provision changes lives (and there’s nowhere near enough of it)

Jeremy Hunt’s eye on the special needs budget is short-term when schooling prepares children for their working future, writes teacher Charlotte Harrison. We need to support students even further to let them succeed – and remember that we benefit from their success

Society

4 d. ago Reeves warned she will have to break manifesto commitment on tax to deal with economic black hole

Leading economists have questioned strategy of ‘fiddling around’ with new small taxes – such as the mansion and gambling taxes – to avoid economic crisis

Economics

5 d. ago Angela three pads Rayner: Deputy PM buys £800k seaside apartment, owns £650k family house and lives in flat paid for by the taxpayer (...while backing tax hikes on homeowners)

Angela Rayner's Hove apartment is the latest addition to her burgeoning property empire - which includes a £650,000 four-bed in Greater Manchester and a grace-and-favour pad in Admiralty House.

Society