49 h. ago ‘Good chance’ Reeves will have to raise taxes in autumn budget, thinktank says – UK politics live

Institute for Fiscal Studies also warns Reeves over her focus on sticking with fiscal rules regardless of real world eventsIn an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, said she would not accept free tickets for concerts again in the future.Asked about the controversy about her decision to accept two corporate tickets for a Sabrina Carpenter concert at the O2, she repeated the line that she used at her press conference yesterday – that a family member wanted to attend the concert (presumably one of her children, but she did not say that), and that she accepted tickets for a corporate box because security concerns meant it was not deemed safe for her to get normal tickets for the auditorium.I’m just saying I wouldn’t do it again. I felt I was doing the right thing. But I do understand perceptions.I am absolutely certain that our reforms, instead of pushing people into poverty, are going to get people into work.And we know that if you move from welfar...

Politics

52 h. ago Reeves denies welfare cuts will increase poverty amid warning poorest set to be £500 a year worse off – UK politics live

The Resolution Foundation says the UK’s poorest will be £500 a year worse off by the end of the parliament due to the spring statementIn an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, said she would not accept free tickets for concerts again in the future.Asked about the controversy about her decision to accept two corporate tickets for a Sabrina Carpenter concert at the O2, she repeated the line that she used at her press conference yesterday – that a family member wanted to attend the concert (presumably one of her children, but she did not say that), and that she accepted tickets for a corporate box because security concerns meant it was not deemed safe for her to get normal tickets for the auditorium.I’m just saying I wouldn’t do it again. I felt I was doing the right thing. But I do understand perceptions.I am absolutely certain that our reforms, instead of pushing people into poverty, are going to get people into work.And we know that if you move ...

Events

53 h. ago Rachel Reeves defends benefit cuts and denies further tax rises likely in autumn – UK politics live

Chancellor confirmed welfare cuts of £4.8bn in spring statement, but insisted the priority was to restore stability to the public finances Nick Robinson is interviewing Rachel Reeves on the Today programme now.Q: You promised just one budget a year, but yesterday you had to announce drastic cuts. What’s gone wrong?We’re not at the moment at a position where we want to do anything to escalate these trade wars.Trade wars are no good for anyone. It will end up with higher prices for consumers, pushing up inflation after we’ve worked so hard to get a grip of inflation, and at the same time will make it harder for British companies to export. Continue reading...

Politics

63 h. ago Rachel Reeves accused of 'balancing books on backs of poor' with Spring Statement benefit cuts

Blaming increased global uncertainty, Rachel Reeves squeezed £4.8billion out of sickness and disability benefits, leaving disabled people, their families and carers to bear the brunt

Politics

65 h. ago Reeves’s benefit cuts to plunge 250,000 people into poverty, government admits

There was outrage as the chancellor announced yet more welfare cuts which are now set to affect 3.2 million families

Politics

2 d. ago Reeves’ benefit cuts to plunge 250,000 people into poverty, government admits

An extra 50,000 children will also be left in poverty after the Labour chancellor’s move to slash £5bn from the welfare bill

Politics

2 d. ago Video: Six key takeaways from Rachel Reeves’ spring statement

Rachel Reeves unveiled a £14bn package to repair finances, which included cuts to welfare, in her spring statement on the state of the UK economy on Wednesday, 26 March.

Politics

2 d. ago 250,000 more people will face relative poverty after Rachel Reeves’ benefits cuts, DWP says – spring statement live

Department for work and pensions says thousands, including children, will be hit by chancellor’s reforms, as OBR forecasts UK growth to halve in 2025Spring statement 2025: key points at a glanceRachel Reeves will not be raising taxes in the spring statement today, even though there are many people on the left who would prefer taxes to rise as an alternative to public spending being cut. Reeves came into office promising only one budget-type event a year, and that is one reason why she is not hiking taxes today. But mainly it’s because she thinks Britons are relatively highly taxed already, because Labour was elected on a manifesto ruling out most of the obvious possible tax rises and because she’s not convinced a sweeping wealth tax would work.But that has not stopped campaigners calling for a wealth tax, and yesterday about 300 people attended a ‘Tax the Super-Rich’ rally outside the Treasury. It was organised by charities and social justice campaign groups, but one of the speakers...

Politics

2 d. ago Key PIP changes from Spring Statement as Rachel Reeves slashes disability benefits

Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her Spring Statement to parliament, which featured a raft of benefit cuts. Here is everything you need to know about the proposed changes

Politics

2 d. ago Universal Credit: health element cut in Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement 2025

Reeves outlined key changes, with impacts on welfare, household income, and services 💬

Politics

2 d. ago Spring statement 2025 summary: Key takeaways from benefit cuts to tax crackdowns

As the chancellor was forced to deliver a brutal spring statement due to the flatlining economy, The Independent looks at what cuts Rachel Reeves rolled out

Politics

3 d. ago Reeves announces welfare changes, increased defence spending and new growth forecasts – spring statement live

Chancellor OBR forecasts for UK growth halved in 2025 but up in the remaining years of this parliamentSpring statement 2025: key points at a glanceRachel Reeves will not be raising taxes in the spring statement today, even though there are many people on the left who would prefer taxes to rise as an alternative to public spending being cut. Reeves came into office promising only one budget-type event a year, and that is one reason why she is not hiking taxes today. But mainly it’s because she thinks Britons are relatively highly taxed already, because Labour was elected on a manifesto ruling out most of the obvious possible tax rises and because she’s not convinced a sweeping wealth tax would work.But that has not stopped campaigners calling for a wealth tax, and yesterday about 300 people attended a ‘Tax the Super-Rich’ rally outside the Treasury. It was organised by charities and social justice campaign groups, but one of the speakers was Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green party...

Economics

3 d. ago Rachel Reeves confirms further benefit cuts in Spring Statement

The Chancellor confirmed the measures in the House of Commons on Thursday afternoon.

Politics

3 d. ago PIP changes explained in full as new disability benefit cuts unveiled in Spring Statement

Here we explain all the changes put forward in last week's green paper for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) as the Chancellor details further spending plans today

Politics

3 d. ago Universal Credit health element changes explained as Spring Statement benefit cuts revealed

Here is everything you need to know about the changes to Universal Credit and the Universal Credit health element announced both last week and in today's Spring Statement

Politics

3 d. ago Keir Starmer faces PMQs before Rachel Reeves delivers spring statement – UK politics live

Chancellor is expected to announce further welfare cuts when she outlines departmental spending plansRachel Reeves will not be raising taxes in the spring statement today, even though there are many people on the left who would prefer taxes to rise as an alternative to public spending being cut. Reeves came into office promising only one budget-type event a year, and that is one reason why she is not hiking taxes today. But mainly it’s because she thinks Britons are relatively highly taxed already, because Labour was elected on a manifesto ruling out most of the obvious possible tax rises and because she’s not convinced a sweeping wealth tax would work.But that has not stopped campaigners calling for a wealth tax, and yesterday about 300 people attended a ‘Tax the Super-Rich’ rally outside the Treasury. It was organised by charities and social justice campaign groups, but one of the speakers was Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green party, which is in favour of a wealth tax.Across th...

Politics

3 d. ago Spring Statement 2025 LIVE as Rachel Reeves to announce further DWP benefit cuts

The budget watchdog has warned that cuts to benefits announced last week will not save as much money as minister had hoped

Politics

3 d. ago Spring Statement LIVE as more benefit cuts to be announced by Rachel Reeves

The Chancellor will stand up in the House of Commons this afternoon to give an update to the Government's spending plans

Politics

3 d. ago More benefit cuts on the way in Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement today

The Chancellor will slash welfare again after the budget watchdog said last week's reforms will save £1.6 billion less than expected

Politics

3 d. ago Further welfare cuts expected as Rachel Reeves prepares to deliver spring statement – UK politics live

Keir Starmer will face Kemi Badenoch at PMQs before the chancellor delivers her spring statement John Healey, the defence secretary, has been doing an interview round this morning because overnight the Treasury briefed journalists that Rachel Reeves will announce an extra £2.2bn in defence spending from April in the spring statement. (Presumably that was the story the Treasury press office were hoping would be leading the news bulletins this morning, not the new benefit cuts).In its news release, the Treasury said:The chancellor will announce a further £2.2bn funding increase for defence from April, as she warns that Britain has to “move quickly in a changing world”.The funding will be invested in advanced technologies so that Britain’s armed forces have the tools they need to compete and win in modern warfare. This includes guaranteeing the investment to fit Royal Navy ships with Directed Energy Weapons by 2027. These weapons can hit a £1 coin from 1km away and take down drones at ...

Politics