As Labour chases Reform, they’re bleeding votes on the left May 25, 2025 Just two weeks after Reform UK’s local election triumph, the government announced a major crackdown on immigration. But while Labour scrambles to neutralise the threat from the right, it risks losing another, just as substantial, cohort to its left, argues Fonie Mitsopoulou. The electorate doesn’t love Labour at the moment. Recent polls indicate that of [...]
Week in Business: Will Starmer sack Rachel Reeves? May 23, 2025 Cracks are appearing in Labour's economic strategy - will Keir Starmer roll the dice and look for a new Chancellor to change course?
Labour and Tories fight for credit on lowering migration May 22, 2025 Long-term net migration to the UK was halved in 2024, official data by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed, triggering a battle between the Labour government and the previous Conservative administration to claim credit for the fall. Total net migration fell from 860,000 in 2023 to 431,000 in 2024, the report found. The data [...]
UK economy shows early signs of recovery after ‘Awful April’ May 22, 2025 The UK economy looks set to recover from a torrid month for businesses in which higher energy costs and employment tax rises kicked into effect, fresh data has suggested. S&P Global’s latest flash purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed that the UK’s services sector has seen moderate growth in output in May while contractions in manufacturing [...]
Reeves’ impossible mission to save the public finances – in four charts May 22, 2025 Government borrowing spiked in April, according to official data, in a stark illustration of the difficult fiscal tightrope that the Chancellor Reeves is walking. The £20.2bn in monthly borrowing was steeper than economists’ prediction of £18bn. So, Reeves might have shivered when she heard Keir Starmer tell the House of Commons winter fuel payments would [...]
UK government borrowing blows past estimates on Labour’s spending plans May 22, 2025 Government borrowing spiked in April, official data has shown, reflecting Rachel Reeves’s difficulties in controlling public finances. The rise to £20.2bn in monthly borrowing was more than economists’ prediction of £18bn. Capital Economics suggested that the rise in borrowing costs since March via debt interest payments has slashed Reeves’ headroom down to £5.7bn. Tax receipts [...]
Starmer refuses to rule out further tax rises May 21, 2025 The Prime Minister has refused rule out further tax rises when challenged by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch during Prime Minister Questions. The fiery exchange came after it was revealed that Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner pushed for a £4bn tax hike on wealthier people in the lead up to the Spring Statement earlier this year. [...]
Reeves warned against bank tax raid May 21, 2025 Rachel Reeves has been warned of the growth consequences of upping tax on lenders after a leaked memo from Angela Rayner called for the Chancellor to launch a cash grab on banks. Reeves was sent a memo by the Deputy Prime Minister ahead of the spring Statement, which called for an annual £700m hike on [...]
Government U-turns on winter fuel allowances May 21, 2025 Keir Starmer plans to soften the government’s stance on winter fuel allowances in a major U-turn after restrictions on the payments sparked a backlash from pensioners. During Prime Minister’s questions, the Prime Minister said the government wants to “ensure that as we go forward, more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments,” as part of [...]
SSE cuts investment and warns it won’t meet 2030 net zero goal May 21, 2025 SSE, one of the UK’s biggest energy companies has said it is unlikely to meet its 2030 renewable goal in the latest blow to the government’s net zero plans. SSE said it decided to cut capital investment by as much as £3bn over the next five years, citing macroeconomic uncertainty and planning obstacles. The Perth-based [...]