5 h. ago Reeves refuses to rule out tax rises after ‘damaging’ welfare bill U

Original welfare proposals had been part of a package expected to save up to £5 billion a year

Economics

10 h. ago Rachel Reeves says she cannot rule out autumn tax rises after ‘damaging’ week

Exclusive: Chancellor says she never considered resigning and warns ‘there are costs’ to welfare bill U-turnRachel Reeves has said it is impossible for her to rule out tax rises in the autumn budget and insisted she never thought about quitting despite a turbulent week for her and the government.In an interview with the Guardian, the chancellor said “there are costs” to the watering down of the welfare bill and acknowledged it had been a “damaging” week for Downing Street. Continue reading...

Politics

37 h. ago Voices: For crying out loud: are you ready for the ‘politics of pain’ about to hit us?

I once accused the PM and his chancellor of being too gloomy, writes John Rentoul. Turns out they were not gloomy enough – and they’ll have to lead the nation through another vale of tears

Politics

40 h. ago Which tax rises could Rachel Reeves introduce to pay for the £5bn welfare U

Labour’s pledge not to raise taxes on ‘working people’ leaves the chancellor with a limited number of workable options to fill the £5bn hole in the public finances left by this week’s welfare climbdown

Economics

40 h. ago Starmer defends Reeves but refuses to rule out tax rises as he announces 10

PM says only possible to transform the NHS due to decisions taken by chancellor, and denies the pressure is too much for herStreeting says he has to go to the Commons to make a statement to MPs.But first he introduces Rachel Reeves, saying that she has put an extra £29bn into the NHS.It is thanks to her leadership that we’ve seen interest rates in our country fall four times. It’s thanks to her leadership that we see wages finally rising faster than the cost of living. And it’s thanks to her leadership we have the fastest growing economy in the G7.If Australia can effectively serve communities living in the remote outback, we can meet the needs of people living in rural England.If community health teams can go door to door to prevent ill health in Brazil, we can do the same in Bradford. Continue reading...

Politics

53 h. ago Starmer backs tearful Reeves – but refuses to rule out tax rises after welfare debacle

Chaotic PMQs sees chancellor upset – reportedly after clash with speaker – as PM fields questions over black hole left by U-turn

Economics

57 h. ago Starmer fails to back tearful Reeves – or rule out tax rises – after welfare debacle

Chaotic PMQs sees chancellor upset – reportedly after clash with speaker – as PM fields questions over black hole left by U-turn

Economics

63 h. ago Starmer fails to guarantee chancellor’s future and does not rule out tax rises to fund welfare concessions – UK politics live

Kemi Badenoch tells PM the welfare bill is a ‘pointless waste of time’ after climbdown heads off Labour revoltWelfare bill climbdown will have ‘a cost’ at budget, says ministerOn Wednesday, Angela Rayner sought to reassure people who had been “scared” about the proposed benefits changes, reports the PA news agency.Speaking to ITV’s Lorraine, the deputy prime minister said:Anyone listening to your show today, they know that there will be no changes to their welfare.I want to make sure that people are reassured by that, because a lot of people have been scared about what’s going to happen. Continue reading...

Economics

64 h. ago Keir Starmer refuses to rule out tax rises after Labour MPs force U

The Prime Minister refused to be drawn on whether he would increase tax later this year.

Politics

64 h. ago PMQs latest: Starmer fails to rule out tax rises in autumn after welfare U

Watering down of legislation represents most significant knock to prime minister’s leadership since coming into power a year ago

Economics

66 h. ago Labour welfare bill latest: Minister won’t rule out tax rises and says climbdown will come at a ‘cost’

Watering down of legislation represents most significant knock to prime minister’s leadership since coming into power a year ago

Economics

66 h. ago With a £5bn hole to fill, the true battle on Keir Starmer’s hands is only just beginning

Sir Keir Starmer’s capitulation on welfare cuts has dented his authority and raised questions about his judgment

Economics

66 h. ago With a £5bn hole to fill, the true battle on Keir Starmer’s hands may only just be beginning

Sir Keir Starmer’s capitulation on welfare cuts has dented his authority and raised questions about his judgment

Economics

67 h. ago Who WILL pay for Labour's benefits farce? Tax rises on the menu as Rachel Reeves faces finding 'tens of billions of pounds' in Budget as rebels urge her to squeeze the rich

The PM effectively tore up his benefits reforms, which had been due to shave £5billion a year off spirallling costs by the end of the Parliament - but will now actually increase spending by £100million.

Economics

67 h. ago Welfare bill climbdown will have ‘a cost’ at budget, says senior minister

Pat McFadden says U-turn will change calculations, as IFS says tax rises in autumn look increasingly likelyUK politics live – latest updatesThere will be “a cost” to the government’s climbdown on welfare changes at the budget, one of Keir Starmer’s senior ministers has said, as a leading fiscal thinktank said new tax rises appeared increasingly likely.Pat McFadden, the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, defended Starmer and the work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall, after the second reading of the government’s main welfare bill passed its first Commons test only after a central element was removed. Continue reading...

Economics

67 h. ago Welfare cuts chaos: Tax rises loom within months after Starmer's 'shambolic' benefit reforms 'saved nothing'

Chancellor Rachel Reeves now faces a £5 billion hole in her tax and spending plans

Economics

68 h. ago Minister declines to rule out tax rises amid welfare climbdown warning

Pat McFadden said that ministers ‘will keep to the tax promises’ in their election manifesto.

Events

68 h. ago Welfare cuts chaos: Tax rises loom within months after Keir Starmer's 'shambolic' welfare cuts climbdown

Chancellor Rachel Reeves now faces a fiscal headache as a forecast £4.8billion in welfare savings have been whittled away to nothing

Economics

2 d. ago Welfare cuts chaos: Tax rises 'are more likely' after Keir Starmer's 'shambolic' welfare cuts climbdown

Chancellor Rachel Reeves now faces a fiscal headache as a forecast £4.8billion in welfare savings have been whittled away to nothing

Economics

2 d. ago Tax rises 'increasingly likely' after DWP savings 'dwindle to nothing'

The benefits cut U-turn has left Rachel Reeves with a £4.8billion hole to fill

Economics