7 h. ago What is a recession? UK sees 0.1% fall in GDP ahead of Rachel Reeves' spring statement

Recession fears loom as the UK economy unexpectedly shrank at the beginning of the year

Politics

9 h. ago Shrinking economy offers unhelpful backdrop for Rachel Reeves’s growth push

GDP goes in wrong direction as chancellor puts final touches to fiscal plansUK economy shrinks unexpectedly in blow to ReevesFor a government that has made growth its overriding mission, the 0.1% decline in GDP in January signalled by the Office for National Statistics will be depressing news.As Rachel Reeves prepares to announce her spring statement on 26 March, the economy appears to be going in the wrong direction – underlining the fact that the Office for Budget Responsibility is likely to have presented her with notably weaker forecasts than in October. Continue reading...

Politics

9 h. ago Chancellor ‘determined to turn around’ economy amid surprise fall in GDP

Figures revealed a surprise contraction in the economy in January, in a blow to Rachel Reeves ahead of her spring statement.

Politics

10 h. ago FTSE 100 Live 14 March: Recession fears mount after surprise GDP fall, Berkeley urges rate cut clarity

Recession fears stalked the City today after official figures showed the UK economy went back into reverse in January.

Politics

10 h. ago City fears recession after shock 0.1% fall in GDP in January

Manufacturing and North Sea oil and gas production see big falls in output

Events

11 h. ago UK economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1% in January in blow to Rachel Reeves

The slowdown in January piles further pressure on Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer ahead off this month’s spring statement

Politics

42 h. ago Rachel Reeves delays plans to reform cash ISAs until after her Spring Statement

The Chancellor was said to be considering the idea of reducing the amount that can be saved into cash Isas annually to encourage people to direct more money into stocks and shares.

Politics

4 d. ago More support for people in ill health to stay in work ‘could save UK £1bn’

Commission for Healthier Working Lives warns against cutting benefits and calls for proactive route for 8m affectedProviding more support for people in ill health to stay in work could save the UK government more than £1bn, according to a report warning ministers against cutting benefits.As the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, looks for savings before the 26 March spring statement, the cross-sector Commission for Healthier Working Lives has called for a new approach to supporting the 8 million people in Britain with a work-limiting health condition. Continue reading...

Economics

6 d. ago Labour told benefits ‘not a lifestyle choice’ as Reeves refuses to rule out PIP cut

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to cut welfare spending in her Spring Statement later this month

Politics

8 d. ago Rachel Reeves budget: What’s in and out of chancellor’s ‘austerity 2’ spring statement

News analysis: In less than three weeks Rachel Reeves will deliver her spring statement to the country - an event which is already shaping up to being a second Budget

Politics

8 d. ago Whitehall departments ‘asked to reveal lowest priority spending’ ahead of Reeves’ planned cuts

Whitehall departments and the welfare budget are areas being targeted for spending cuts ahead of the Spring Statement

Events

8 d. ago Is Rachel Reeves about to fix Britain’s public finances on the backs of the poorest members of society?

Editorial: As the chancellor prepares to present her plans for social security reforms she must assess whether her cost-cutting measures are unnecessarily punitive, or indeed realistic

Politics

9 d. ago Rachel Reeves plans huge cuts to benefits and public spending in Spring Statement

Rachel Reeves faces calls to step back from becoming 'Labour's austerity Chancellor' as she prepares to slash billions of pounds from welfare and other Government budgets

Politics

9 d. ago Starmer highlights UK’s war record in implicit rebuke to Vance as Lib Dems mock Badenoch for defending him – UK politics live

Interventions follow US vice president’s comments about ‘20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 40 years’In response to a question about intelligence cooperation with the US, Sir David Manning, a former ambassador to Washington, said he thought this would become “more difficult” because there was a problem of trust. He explained:If you have some of Trump’s appointees in these key jobs who have very strange track records, and have said very strange things about Nato allies, the Nato alliance and so on, and you have people in the administration who seem to be, let’s say, looking for ways of appeasing Russia, then you have a problem on the intelligence front, because these are not the values that we have. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Starmer highlights UK’s war record in implicit rebuke to Vance as Badenoch says she does not approve of ‘Twitter pile

Interventions follow US vice president’s comments about ‘20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 40 years’In response to a question about intelligence cooperation with the US, Sir David Manning, a former ambassador to Washington, said he thought this would become “more difficult” because there was a problem of trust. He explained:If you have some of Trump’s appointees in these key jobs who have very strange track records, and have said very strange things about Nato allies, the Nato alliance and so on, and you have people in the administration who seem to be, let’s say, looking for ways of appeasing Russia, then you have a problem on the intelligence front, because these are not the values that we have. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago Rachel Reeves 'plans to slash £5bn' from welfare as she scrambles to find more room for defence spending

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to present the Treasury watchdog with draft proposals for trimming the government's outlay - said to include up to £5billion from welfare.

Economics

9 d. ago Labour Government expected to slash benefits in huge spring statement spending cuts

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will make the spring statement on March 26.

Politics

9 d. ago Rachel Reeves scrambles to find more room for defence spending with plan to slash '£5bn' from welfare in Spring Statement

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to present the Treasury watchdog with draft proposals for trimming the government's outlay - said to include up to £5billion from welfare.

Economics

2 w. ago Starmer says no ‘big decisions’ in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spring statement

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to announce the spring budget on March 26

Politics

2 w. ago Sir Kier Starmer says no ‘big decisions’ in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spring statement

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to announce the spring budget on March 26

Politics