Babcock shares surge as Starmer calls for Europe to ‘step up’ on defence February 16, 2026 Shares in Britain’s defence giants rallied on Monday morning as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called for Europe to “step up” on defence spending. Babcock – which plays a key role in the UK’s nuclear submarine fleet as well as naval, land and air operations – surged nearly four per cent in early trading to [...]
Total UK government borrowing beats OBR forecast January 22, 2026 UK government has already borrowed more this year than the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast, official data has revealed, wrapping up a difficult 12 months for Rachel Reeves as she grapples with keeping public finances safe from further shocks. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated public sector borrowing to have been £11.6bn over the [...]
UK government borrowing overshoots expectations in November December 19, 2025 UK government borrowing exceeded expectations in November but still fell year-on-year after tax receipts surged following Rachel Reeves’ first Autumn Budget. The latest release from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed public sector borrowing topped £11.7bn in November. City economists expected government borrowing to come in at £10.2bn over the month. Despite this, the [...]
Bank of England sounds alarm on leveraged hedge fund bond bets December 3, 2025 The Bank of England has sounded the alarm on international hedge funds snapping up record levels of UK government debt, warning that their highly leveraged bets leave Britain increasingly exposed to a bond market meltdown. In its biannual Financial Stability Report, the central bank said the large share of UK government debt held by risk-seeking asset [...]
City readies up for Labour’s borrowing spree November 26, 2025 Fixed income investors are readying for the Debt Management Office (DMO) to boost its gilt issuance for the current financial year, otherwise the level of UK government debt sold to traders, as the Labour government ploughs ahead with its borrowing spree. The DMO, an independent government body that oversees the sale of UK government bonds, [...]
UK government borrowing overshoots in Budget blow November 21, 2025 UK government borrowing exceeded expectations in October, with benefits and public sector wages intensifying pressures on the public purse ahead of Rachel Reeves’ Budget next Wednesday. The Office for National Statistics showed that public sector net borrowing had reached £17.4bn in the last set of public finances data that government officials will see before Wednesday’s [...]
Bond markets ignore Starmer briefings and Westminster gossip November 12, 2025 Bond markets shrugged at Keir Starmer’s team’s attacks against Cabinet ministers and Westminster gossip suggesting a leadership contest was emerging after investors were dragged into briefing wars. On Tuesday night, a briefing war erupted in Westminster as Keir Starmer’s allies told journalists that there would be a rout in the bond markets if the Prime [...]
UK government borrowing soars in September to highest in five years October 21, 2025 UK government borrowing soared north of £20bn in September, official data has revealed, in another blow for Rachel Reeves as she gears up for a painful tax-raising Budget next month. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said government borrowing over the month was the highest seen for five years and an increase of £1.6bn compared [...]
IMF sounds alarm on soaring sovereign debt October 15, 2025 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged governments to bear down on profligate spending after it found government debt was on course to reach 100 per cent of global GDP within the next five years. In its latest Fiscal Monitor report, the world’s preeminent financial institution sounded the alarm on developed and developing nations’ over-reliance [...]
Reeves to scrap two-child benefit cap September 30, 2025 Rachel Reeves is poised to abolish the two-child benefit cap at next month’s Budget, in a move that will be cheered by anti-poverty campaigners but is likely to stoke bond market fears that the government is unable to reign in runaway spending and borrowing. The Chancellor is said to be exploring a new tapered system [...]