Starmer calls for ‘sober realism’ in relations with China amid embassy row December 2, 2025 Keir Starmer said the UK’s approach to relations with China should be guided by “sober realism” in a wide-ranging foreign policy speech at Guildhall in London. At the Lady Mayor’s Banquet, Starmer said the UK had to reject a “binary choice” in being too hawkish or dovish in relations with China. After weeks of diplomatic [...]
Bank of England warns of rising global threat as lenders’ capital rules slashed December 2, 2025 The Bank of England has warned of increased global risks to financial stability, even as it slashed rules imposed on UK lenders dictating the amount of capital they must hold. The central bank said “risks to financial stability have increased during 2025”. “Global risks remain elevated and material uncertainty in the global macroeconomic outlook persists,” [...]
FTSE 100 Live: OBR chiefs face MP grilling; Food inflation slows December 2, 2025 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) admitted its “worst failure in the 15-year history” of the fiscal watchdog on Monday. This morning, from 10am, two of its remaining spokespeople will be facing a grilling from the Treasury select committee of MPs. The sensational leak of [...]
Is Rachel Reeves the Prime Minister’s lucky general? December 2, 2025 Napoleon is supposed to have declared that he’d “rather have lucky generals than good ones.” Here in the UK, it seems we have a Chancellor who fits just such a mould. Only the most loyal Labour MPs would declare that Rachel Reeves is a good Chancellor, and in doing so they’d be setting themselves firmly [...]
Voters blame Labour for tax hikes amid gloomy outlook December 2, 2025 A majority of voters believe that the raft of tax-raising measures unveiled at last week’s Budget prove that Labour has failed to fix the public finances after more than year in office. Senior Labour officials including Chancellor Rachel Reeves have suggested that the government faced constraints on public finances as a result of international trade [...]
Businesses left ‘in limbo’ during Budget speculation as bosses feel bruised December 2, 2025 The UK’s private sector was left in a state of “limbo” amid months of Budget speculation leading to delayed investment plans, a leading survey has found, underscoring claims that the government misled the public and businesses over tax rises and fiscal constraints. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI)’s monthly private sector survey has revealed how [...]
The biggest risk to this government is no longer economic turbulence, but itself December 2, 2025 A Budget meant to project discipline has instead exposed confusion, mistrust and political instability around the Chancellor, eroding confidence in both markets and her own party, says Helen Thomas It is never a good omen when the Chancellor becomes the story rather than the Budget they’ve delivered. What began as a carefully choreographed fiscal event, [...]
OBR chair Richard Hughes resigns after leak ‘inflicted heavy damage’ on watchdog December 1, 2025 The chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) Richard Hughes has resigned after a report provided a damning assessment of management at the top of the fiscal watchdog after it leaked its fiscal report before the Budget. Hughes, who has faced pressure from the government since the leak, said he was taking full responsibility [...]
Voters’ verdict: Tax hikes breach manifesto and Reeves should resign December 1, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves should resign following a decision to extend the freeze on income tax thresholds in a move seen by voters as a breach of Labour’s manifesto, new polling has revealed. The government is facing intense pressure over the way it conducted economic policymaking, with questions lurking over a potential breach of the Labour [...]
Starmer denies misleading public as fresh row with OBR erupts December 1, 2025 Prime Minister Keir Starmer has denied accusations that Chancellor Rachel Reeves misled cabinet colleagues – and the country – over the state of public finances in the lead-up to the Budget as tax rumours hinged on the belief that there was a £30bn shortfall in the fiscal headroom. In a press conference at a nursery [...]