Budget Day: The good, the bad and the ugly November 26, 2025 It seems as if we’ve been speculating about the contents of today’s Budget since the moment Rachel Reeves sat down after delivering her first one, just over a year ago. Since then, unemployment has risen (every month) and growth rates have slumped quarter-to-quarter from 0.7 per cent to 0.3 per cent to 0.1 per cent. [...]
This isn’t a plan for business, it’s a Budget to save Reeves’ job November 26, 2025 Sacha Lord, a former advisor to mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham, bitterly regrets calling Labour “the party of business and growth” On 13th of June last year, I was stood in Manchester’s impressive NOMA building. It was the Labour Party’s manifesto launch. The place was a buzz with energy, excitement and hope. The full shadow [...]
Whatever Reeves announces today, Britain is still paying for lockdown November 26, 2025 The Labour Party were great enthusiasts for lockdown, demanding longer and harsher restrictions. The costs of this folly have now caught up with them as the Budget today will demonstrate, says Paul Ormerod Regardless of the precise measures brought in by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, in the Budget to be announced today, a fearful spectre [...]
Reeves must ignore political wailing and finally cut spending November 26, 2025 No amount of wishful thinking can change the economic reality. Reeves must make the hard decisions today, writes James Reed.
‘Fiscal rules’ have made Budgets a farce November 26, 2025 Chancellors increasingly make policy not on economic grounds, but to satisfy the letter of their own self-imposed fiscal rules, writes Ayushma Maharjan.
Britain can’t grow while we’re spending £700m to save the life of a fish November 26, 2025 With measly growth and energy among the most expensive in the developed world, Britain's got bigger fish to fry than sealife conservation.
The Debate: Is pre-Budget speculation helpful? November 26, 2025 We want to write it, you want to read it, but is pre-Budget speculation actually helpful? We put two experts head to head.
The UK stands on a precipice – this Budget must show government is on the side of business November 25, 2025 The message from British business could hardly be starker: we need stability, simplicity and long-term thinking – not another round of stop-start policymaking, says Alan Vallance The UK stands on a precipice. After years of sluggish growth and wavering confidence, businesses are clear: small tweaks and short-term gestures from government won’t be enough to turn [...]
Why businesses can’t be bothered to engage ahead of the Budget November 25, 2025 After years of policy churn, rising costs and new rules arriving faster than anyone can absorb them, many firms have run out of energy to engage, says Georgiana Bristol There is a strange quiet in the business community this week. Not the calm of confidence, but the hush before something hits. Normally, in the run-up [...]
Price caps for pop concerts: is there any market Labour won’t restrict? November 25, 2025 Labour’s plan for a ban on secondary ticket sales is an open door for fraudsters. Yet more proof that only the Conservatives believe in free markets, says Andrew Griffith Anyone would think that growth is roaring back, public spending has been brought firmly under control and small boat crossings to our shores have ceased. Why? [...]