Andy Haldane: This will be ‘a Budget for the backbenchers, not business’ Politics A former Bank of England chief economist has warned he expects to see “further borrowing” and “further tax rises” in next week’s Budget as he threw his weight behind Kemi Badenoch’s plan on the UK economy. Speaking at an Ipsos event, Andy Haldane said the Budget has been a “less lengthy and a less leaky [...]
Badenoch urges Healey to avoid ‘fictional cuts’ Politics Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has urged Chancellor John Healey to focus on urgently cutting spending and avoid making “fictional cuts” at the end of parliament. In a speech in London on Tuesday, Badenoch will warn that Labour’s deficit reduction plans rely on “huge cuts to the public sector in the final year of the spending [...]
UK banks could unleash cash buffers to spur economy, says top Bank of England regulator Banking UK banks are holding excessively large “rainy-day funds” that could instead be deployed to boost economic activity, according to a top regulator at the Bank of England. David Bailey, executive director of Prudential Policy at the Bank of England, told City AM the watchdog had kicked off talks with international peers over how to simplify [...]
Tories to warn Burnham on ‘bending to left’ on bank tax raid October 14, 2026 Kemi Badenoch is expected to fire a bank tax warning shot to the Labour government on Thursday during a visit to Edinburgh. The Conservatives will warn Andy Burnham against “bending the knee to left-wing backbenchers and trade union paymasters,” as the pre-Budget debate heats up. It follows the banking sector swinging into defence mode ahead [...]
Badenoch vows to end £100k childcare cliff edge introduced under last Tory government October 3, 2026 Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has vowed to end the “absurd” childcare trap for parents earning above £100,000. On the first day of the party’s conference in Birmingham, Badenoch will announce that the childcare cliff edge – engineered under the previous Tory government – will be scrapped at a cost of about £700m per year. Former [...]
‘Biggest change in our lifetime’ – Burnham vows ‘greater public control’ over utilities June 29, 2026 Andy Burnham has vowed to empower local government to take “greater public control” over energy, housing, water and transport as councils are set to be handed greater powers as part of sweeping economic and political reform. In a speech on Monday setting out his 10-year vision to raise living standards, the likely next Prime Minister [...]
Badenoch sets sights on battle with the Bank June 24, 2026 The City is in the mood for a regulatory bonfire and Kemi Badenoch hopes to be the one to light the flame. In this week’s column, Samuel Norman looks at the roadblocks she may face on her pursuit. “Don’t forget about Andrew Bailey.” That was the parting shot I got from a former Bank of [...]
Tories brace for heavy losses as Badenoch outpolls rivals April 4, 2026 Five years ago, the Conservatives were polling at around 40 per cent, buoyed by the vaccine rollout and post-Brexit momentum, and went on to gain 235 seats in the 2021 local elections. But ahead of May’s vote, that position seems to have shifted. Political scientist Stephen Fisher has suggested the party could lose as many [...]
‘Cover up’: Starmer blames vetting amid process questions on Mandelson March 12, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman has blamed the vetting process inherited from previous governments for Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment despite accusations that the Prime Minister did not follow ministerial procedures and oversaw a “cover up”. Starmer’s spokesman said the government was looking to reform the due diligence process and national security vetting procedure for major appointments. [...]
Starmer apologises to Epstein victims over Mandelson role as Badenoch calls on PM to quit February 5, 2026 Keir Starmer has vowed to stay on as Prime Minister, denying knowing the “depth and darkness” of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein when he appointed the disgraced politician as US ambassador. Speaking at an event in east Sussex, the Prime Minister apologised to Epstein’s victims saying he was “sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies [...]