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. [...]
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.
Bond market braces for gilt and sterling tremors November 26, 2025 Bond market participants are bracing for a fresh round of turbulence in the aftermath of Wednesday’s Budget, with investors rejigging their exposure to gilts having warned the Chancellor’s fiscal plans are “very much under the microscope”. Rachel Reeves is expected to use her second major fiscal shake-up mount a historic tax and spend consolidation in [...]
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.
Reeves plans stamp duty holiday in Budget to boost London listings November 25, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce a stamp duty holiday for new listings on the London Stock Exchange in Wednesday’s Budget as the government ramps up efforts to revive the index. The move will wipe out the 0.5 per cent stamp duty tax investors are forced to pay upon buying shares that are newly [...]
Autumn Budget: Will the UK keep its tech talent or drive it abroad? November 25, 2025 Time is running out for Rachel Reeves to reassure the sector she has spent months courting. With tax rises looking increasingly likely in Wednesday’s Autumn Budget, the mood across UK tech has shifted to concern, reviving the warning issued earlier this month by some of Britain’s most valuable founders: change course, or risk watching high-growth [...]
Retail confidence falls at its fastest rate since 2008 November 25, 2025 Confidence amongst retailers has dropped at its fastest rate in 17 years as firms become increasingly pessimistic about their fortunes amid high taxes and low spending. Retailers expect demand to remain subdued heading into December, with sales set to fall again – albeit at a somewhat slower pace, according to the CBI’s latest quarterly Distributive [...]
Reeves opens door for mayors to impose ‘damaging’ tourist tax November 25, 2025 Mayors in England are set to be given new powers to levy a tourist tax on visitors to fund local projects under a new policy. Reeves will give mayors the ability to impose a “modest” charge on visitors staying in hotels, bed and breakfasts, guest houses and holiday lets through the English Devolution and Community [...]
Labour to hold fire on ‘fish disco’ nuclear power reform due to ‘legal advice’ November 25, 2025 The Labour government is set to hold fire on pushing through sweeping reforms to nuclear energy due to a legal adviser’s concerns over the “UK’s environmental, trade and human rights obligations”, it has been reported. The Innovate UK member John Fingleton published a damning report on red tape blocking the expansion of the country’s nuclear [...]