51 m. ago Starmer forced to deny breaking Labour manifesto as experts sound dire warning over Budget plans

Damning assessment came as chancellor and prime minister forced to defend plans and insist they did not breach manifesto promises

Events

2 h. ago By ending a cruel Tory social experiment, this budget clearly set out how Labour will fight the battle to renew Britain | Lucy Powell

The two-child benefit cap was a totem of 14 years of failed ideology. Now it is goneLucy Powell is deputy leader of the Labour partyYesterday the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, delivered a Labour budget. People have been asking for Labour’s purpose and values to be more clearly expressed. Through the choices made – a shift to a fairer tax system, targeting wealth to pay for tackling child poverty, good public services and the cost of living – we have clearly set out what we stand for.That’s why Labour MPs cheered in the Commons, and it’s why we are up for the fights to come. And it’s why the cries from the right began immediately.Lucy Powell is MP for Manchester Central and deputy leader of the Labour partyDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Events

5 h. ago Starmer accused of 'misleading' public over Labour's big tax plans in car

Keir Starmer was repeatedly challenged over whether he deserved the 'trust' of the British people in a bruising interview after the Budget .

Politics

5 h. ago Starmer says budget did not break manifesto tax pledge and scrapping two

PM says: ‘We kept to our manifesto in terms of what we’ve promised. But I accept the challenge that we’ve asked everybody to contribute’Ask the Guardian your budget questionsShare your views on the new ‘mansion tax’Budget calculator: find out if you are better or worse offThe Conservative party is attacking the budget on the grounds that Rachel Reeves is putting up taxes supposedly to fund more spending on benefit claimants. Even though the rationale for this claim is questionable, the Tories were making it before the budget was announced, and Kemi Badenoch firmed it up last night, claiming it was a “Benefits Street budget”.On LBC this morning, asked if the budget meant “alarm clock Britain paying for Benefits Street”, Reeves said she did not accept that. She said 60% of the families that would benefit from the removal of the two-child benefit cap (the most expensive welfare announcement in the budget) were in work.I don’t think children should be punished by this pernicious policy ...

Economics

6 h. ago Budget 2025 live: Starmer says ‘everyone must contribute’ as he defends Rachel Reeves’ tax rises

Reeves admits Budget will mean working people will have to ‘contribute a bit more’ - but denies breaking manifesto pledge

Economics

6 h. ago Standard campaign to tackle youth unemployment shortlisted for top journalism award

Our Destination Unknown campaign has been nominated for the Public Service prize at the 2025 British Journalism Awards

Events

7 h. ago Starmer says Budget ‘asked everybody to contribute’ to protect public services

The Prime Minister rejected claims the scrapping of the two-child cap had been announced to shore up his own position.

Politics

8 h. ago Reeves should have included more tax reform in budget to help growth, IFS thinktank says – UK politics live

Institute for Fiscal Studies director says chancellors continue to ‘shy away from meaningful tax reform that could move the dial’Ask the Guardian your budget questionsShare your views on the new ‘mansion tax’ Budget calculator: find out if you are better or worse offThe Conservative party is attacking the budget on the grounds that Rachel Reeves is putting up taxes supposedly to fund more spending on benefit claimants. Even though the rationale for this claim is questionable, the Tories were making it before the budget was announced, and Kemi Badenoch firmed it up last night, claiming it was a “Benefits Street budget”.On LBC this morning, asked if the budget meant “alarm clock Britain paying for Benefits Street”, Reeves said she did not accept that. She said 60% of the families that would benefit from the removal of the two-child benefit cap (the most expensive welfare announcement in the budget) were in work.I don’t think children should be punished by this pernicious policy any lo...

Politics

8 h. ago Reeves dismisses Tory claims of ‘Benefits Street budget’ – UK politics live

Chancellor says 60% of families that will be better off after the two-child limit is scrapped are in workAsk the Guardian your budget questionsBudget calculator: find out if you are better or worse offThe Conservative party is attacking the budget on the grounds that Rachel Reeves is putting up taxes supposedly to fund more spending on benefit claimants. Even though the rationale for this claim is questionable, the Tories were making it before the budget was announced, and Kemi Badenoch firmed it up last night, claiming it was a “Benefits Street budget”.On LBC this morning, asked if the budget meant “alarm clock Britain paying for Benefits Street”, Reeves said she did not accept that. She said 60% of the families that would benefit from the removal of the two-child benefit cap (the most expensive welfare announcement in the budget) were in work.I don’t think children should be punished by this pernicious policy any longer. And the cost to society of this is huge, the cost for counci...

Politics

13 h. ago Rachel Reeves has badly failed to show mettle with the UK Budget

Rachel Reeves needed to be more upfront with the public - but she has failed, writes John McLaren

Events

14 h. ago Rachel Reeves made bold Budget spending commitments, better late than never

Record View says the Chancellor has done well to prop up public services as much as she has, while also increasing key benefits for those who need them most.

Economics

20 h. ago ZIA YUSUF: Welfare is now a £2trillion runaway train to which the whole economy is attached. Enough is enough

People who set their alarm clocks and go to work are being asked to pay record amounts in tax, accept appalling public services and pay for a record number of people to not work.

Economics

23 h. ago Budget ‘missed opportunity’ to tackle rising cost of living – O’Neill

Northern Ireland’s First Minister said instead of ‘real action’ to bring down bills, many will now face higher tax bills in the year ahead.

Economics

25 h. ago Budget does not go far enough in public service investment – Stormont minister

Stormont Finance Minister John O’Dowd said Rachel Reeves’ spending plan ‘strengthened the need’ for fiscal devolution in Northern Ireland.

Politics

25 h. ago UK Budget RECAP: SNP on 'absolute chaos' for Scotland as Rachel Reeves defends tax rises

The UK Budget was a crucial moment for under-pressure Sir Keir Starmer and his Chancellor Rachel Reeves - the markets seem happy, but what will the ultimate fallout be?

Economics

27 h. ago UK Budget LIVE: OBR forecast leaked early in error as SNP claim 'absolute chaos' for Scotland

The UK Budget was a crucial moment for under pressure Sir Keir Starmer and his Chancellor Rachel Reeves - the markets seem happy but what will the fall out be?

Events

30 h. ago UK Budget LIVE: OBR forecast leaked early in error as Scotland impact revealed

The UK Budget is set to be defining for Sir Keir Starmer and his Chancellor Rachel Reeves - but just how will it be received?

Politics

32 h. ago UK Budget LIVE: Scotland braces for impact as tax rises expected from Chancellor Rachel Reeves

The UK Budget is set to be defining for Sir Keir Starmer and his Chancellor Rachel Reeves - but just how will it be received?

Economics

35 h. ago Budget 2025: Keir Starmer's top aide hits back at 'saving PM's job' claim in TV exchange

Darren Jones, the Prime Minister's chief secretary, said Rachel Reeves' Budget will 'meet the needs of the country' and pushed back when asked if the plans were about saving the PM's job

Economics

37 h. ago Rachel Reeves has many problems. She’s realising that her Brexit bind may be the biggest of all | Rafael Behr

Brutal economic realities are prompting a shift in Labour’s tone on Europe. But will it dare tell the whole truth about Britain’s predicament? Rachel Reeves has approached this week’s budget like a reluctant swimmer inching into freezing water, trying to ease the unpleasantness by incremental exposure. The chancellor started paddling delicately around the problem of insufficient revenue at the end of the summer. First, she refused to stand by former insistence that tax rises in last year’s budget would be the last. “The world has changed,” she said.Then, earlier this month, she took a bigger stride into the icy waves. There was a speech promising to “do what is necessary” to fund public services and keep borrowing costs down. Downing Street did not discourage speculation that this meant reneging on Labour’s 2024 manifesto promise not to raise income tax. Too deep! Within 10 days the Treasury had retracted the hint. The manifesto commitment still stood after all. As any cold-water sw...

Politics