3 d. ago No evidence Labour welfare cuts will get more people into work, OBR says

The spending watchdog’s says it was not provided with an analysis of how the reforms could boost employment

Economics

3 d. ago Labour MPs threaten 'the mother of all rebellions' over benefit cuts with 'dozens' ready to revolt as child poverty hits record level

More than 30 backbenchers are said to be ready to vote against plans to make it harder to claim incapacity benefits and personal independence payments (Pip).

Events

3 d. 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

3 d. ago Labour MPs threaten 'the mother of all rebellions' over benefit cuts with 'dozens' ready to revolt over Reeves' cut to cash for the disabled

More than 30 backbenchers are said to be ready to vote against plans to make it harder to claim incapacity benefits and personal independence payments (Pip).

Events

3 d. ago Rachel Reeves' 'clumsy' Labour deputy makes grovelling apology for comparing disabled benefits cuts to reducing a child's pocket money 

Darren Jones admitted that he had been 'tactless' when he compared the drive to get millions of people back into work to telling a teen to get a weekend job instead of accepting a handout.

Politics

3 d. ago Rachel Reeves 'certain' benefits cuts won't push people into hardship amid growing Labour unrest

The Chancellor was also forced to defend Treasury minister Darren Jones who compared the benefits cuts to taking pocket money away from his children

Politics

3 d. 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

4 d. 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

4 d. ago Labour minister apologises for comparing disability benefit cuts to children’s pocket money

A Labour minister has apologised for comparing disability benefit cuts to children’s pocket money.

Politics

4 d. ago Spring statement: Should a Labour government be making these cuts? – Politics Weekly UK

Amid poor economic growth forecasts and global instability, Rachel Reeves is trying to balance the books by cutting spending on benefits. So why is a Labour government choosing this path? John Harris is joined by the Guardian’s political editor, Pippa Crerar, and political correspondent Kiran Stacey to unpick what was in the spring statement, and what it will mean for you Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Labour minister under fire after he compares welfare squeeze to 'cutting my child's pocket money by £10 per week'... as Government admits 800,000 disabled Brits will be £4,500 per year worse off

Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, offered the 'offensive' and 'patronising' example as he was quizzed about the impact of Labour's benefits cuts.

Politics

4 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

4 d. ago Protesters rail against Labour welfare cuts set to push 250,000 more into poverty

Protesters gathered outside Downing Street to demonstrate against Labour’s cuts to welfare

Economics

4 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

4 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

5 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

5 d. ago Spring Statement 2025 latest: Rachel Reeves to cut benefits as Labour slashes public spending

The Chancellor will deliver the Spring Statement to the Commons around 12.30pm on Wednesday - shortly after PMQs - to update on the state of the nation's finances

Politics

5 d. ago Further benefits cuts planned as Rachel Reeves forced to find extra £1.6bn

Chancellor risks wrath of Labour backbenchers with spring statement set to confirm deeper cutsRachel Reeves will make additional welfare cuts in her spring statement on Wednesday after the Office for Budget Responsibility rejected her estimate of savings from the changes announced last week.The chancellor hoped to shift the focus from the benefits cuts, which appalled some Labour backbenchers, to promising to “secure Britain’s future” with a £2.2bn increase to defence spending. Continue reading...

Economics

5 d. ago Benefits reform and jobs cuts: The political headaches for Labour in Reeves’ spring statement

Labour chancellor set to squeeze Whitehall budgets by up to 7 per cent

Politics

5 d. ago ‘I’m terrified’: Disabled benefit claimants on the impact of Labour’s £5 billion cuts to welfare

Welfare recipients tell The Independent what losing their health-related benefits would mean to them

Economics