Category: UK Politics

Chris Mason: Reeves and Starmer can’t escape sluggish economy We are reminded rather starkly today of the backdrop – the all too hard to shift backdrop – that shapes our national life and conversation and the trade-offs the government confronts. The latest GDP figures underline the baked in sluggishness, the flatlining, even the shrivelling of… Continue reading Chris Mason: Reeves and Starmer can’t escape sluggish economy

Council tax expected to rise by 5% a year Getty Images Council tax is expected to rise by 5% a year to pay for local services including policing, documents in the Spending Review suggest. Local authorities have the power to raise the tax by up to 5% every year, without central government approval, although some… Continue reading Council tax expected to rise by 5% a year

Spending Review 2025: Key points at a glance 16 minutes ago Reuters Chancellor Rachel Reeves has given details of the UK’s first multi-year spending review since 2021. The review sets the day-to-day budgets of government departments over the next three years, used to pay staff and deliver public services. It also sets their investment budgets… Continue reading Spending Review 2025: Key points at a glance

Chris Mason: Reeves’s spending priorities leave little room for manoeuvre The words Spending Review may not instantly quicken the heart rate of many, but what we hear from the Chancellor Rachel Reeves will have an impact on what your life is like in the UK in the coming years. It could be one of the… Continue reading Chris Mason: Reeves’s spending priorities leave little room for manoeuvre

Reeves to set out spending plans up to next election Rachel Reeves is preparing to unveil her highly anticipated spending review, setting out how much money the NHS, schools, police and other public services will get over the next few years. The chancellor will emphasise plans to “invest in Britain’s renewal” by spending an extra… Continue reading Reeves to set out spending plans up to next election

Miliband defends winter fuel payment U-turn Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has defended Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ original decision to cut winter fuel payments and the subsequent partial U-turn. He told the BBC the chancellor would not apologise for withdrawing the payment from more than 10 million pensioners last year, arguing that she had to take measures… Continue reading Miliband defends winter fuel payment U-turn

Three-quarters of pensioners to get winter fuel payment after U-turn 15 hours ago Michael Race Business reporter, BBC News Johner Images/Getty Images More than three-quarters of pensioners will receive the winter fuel payment this year after Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed a major policy U-turn. Nine million pensioners in England and Wales with an annual income… Continue reading Three-quarters of pensioners to get winter fuel payment after U-turn

Sizewell C nuclear plant gets £14bn go-ahead from government 34 minutes ago Alice Cunningham BBC News, Suffolk Sizewell C The government has committed £14.2bn of investment to build the new Sizewell C nuclear plant on the Suffolk coastline, ahead of the Spending Review. Sizewell C will create 10,000 direct jobs, thousands more in firms supplying… Continue reading Sizewell C nuclear plant gets £14bn go-ahead from government

Chris Mason: Labour hopes to put winter fuel misstep behind them The final act in this slow motion U-turn has played out. The arc of this row runs to almost a year. It was late July last year when I was among a bunch of reporters called into the Treasury to question the then new… Continue reading Chris Mason: Labour hopes to put winter fuel misstep behind them

Home secretary yet to agree deal days before spending review Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has still yet to agree a deal with the Treasury before Wednesday’s Spending Review, despite an offer of above inflation increases to police funding in each of the next three years. Ministers have been locked in talks with Rachel Reeves and… Continue reading Home secretary yet to agree deal days before spending review