OBR chief says higher tax is ‘not good’ for growth – or the government July 15, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves risks harming the UK economy’s potential to grow by inflicting extra tax hikes on Brits, the fiscal watchdog has warned, adding that the government risks losing out on returns in the longer run. Rachel Reeves looks poised to raise taxes at this year’s Autumn Budget as leading City analysts believe the higher [...]
Wealth tax would be ‘own goal’, London bosses warns July 10, 2025 The introduction of a wealth tax on Brits would yield less revenue for the government and drive investors overseas, bosses across London have warned. Keir Starmer this week refused to answer questions on whether the government was considering a wealth tax, which was mooted by former Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock last weekend. But business [...]
Wealth and stealth: Starmer eyes fresh tax hikes July 9, 2025 Keir Starmer has refused to rule out a wealth tax or so-called stealth taxes, a day after the fiscal watchdog said unfunded spending commitments on welfare put the public finances under intense pressure. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) gave a damning verdict of the state of public finances in a comprehensive report published on [...]
Labour’s welfare U-turn spikes fears of tax hikes June 27, 2025 The Labour government has confirmed its latest U-turn with a significant retreat on welfare reform dealing a crushing blow to Rachel Reeves’ waning fiscal headroom. The bill initially targeted restrictions on personal independence payments (PIP) and limited the sickness-related element of universal credit in a bid to shed £5bn from the welfare budget by 2030. Under [...]
Berenberg: Labour welfare row will lead to tax hikes and higher interest rates June 26, 2025 Divisive party politics at the top of the Labour government stand to prevent the Bank of England from making further interest rate cuts, given struggles to curb spending, a leading City broker has warned. The government is embroiled in another row over spending cuts, as £4.8bn in welfare budget savings look set to be watered down following a [...]
Higher tax ‘inevitable’ as PM makes defence spending pledge June 24, 2025 Keir Starmer’s fresh commitment to ramp up defence spending to five per cent as a share of GDP by 2035 will almost certainly have to be funded by more tax hikes, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS)’ Paul Johnson has warned. The government’s pledge to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence and a [...]
Spending review: Rachel Reeves pledges £15.6bn for regional transport June 4, 2025 The government has made its biggest spending announcement since Labour’s drubbing at the local elections in May, with a pledge from Chancellor Rachel Reeves to double investment in local transport over the next five years. A £15.6bn cash injection will form a major pillar of the 11 June spending review, which the Treasury says would [...]
ONS set to weigh up cost to public purse of British Steel rescue April 29, 2025 The UK’s official statistics body has begun an assessment of the cost of running British Steel since the loss-making business was rescued by the government, City AM can reveal, in what could prove to be another blow to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ fiscal targets. The UK’s top statistician Professor Sir Ian Diamond said the Office for [...]
Londoners earn the most but spend very little, IFS finds April 11, 2025 Londoners top the ranking for income per head across the UK, yet spend very little after housing costs are taken into account, according to research by leading think tanks. A new report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) signals that high housing costs in the capital city [...]
IFS boss: We’re screwed with or without trade deals April 7, 2025 The director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has suggested the UK could be heading for a recession as a trade deal may not be enough to revive crumbling markets or prevent a slump in economic growth. Paul Johnson, who is set to leave the leading economics think tank in the summer, told Times [...]