Burnham backs higher defence spending but rules out ‘crude’ welfare cuts Politics Andy Burnham has called for the country to trust him with the public finances stable as he pledged to “take responsibility” for funding Keir Starmer’s controversial Defence Investment Plan. Burnham, who is all-but-certain to enter Number 10 in fewer than three weeks, hit out at “narratives” about him, in a radio interview with LBC which [...]
King Charles to publish tax bill for ‘transparency’ Tax The King is to become the first head of state to reveal their personal tax bill to help enhance transparency around royal finances. Charles will publish his financial details as his royal household seeks to increase “clarity and accessibility” around the monarchy’s finances by producing a new report on the subject. The decision by the King, [...]
New HS2 budget to blow £33bn hole in public finances Transport & Infrastructure The government will need to find as much as £33bn in additional cash from tax and spending measures or from other departments to fund its revamped plans to deliver HS2. According to a City AM analysis, the Department for Transport’s updated proposals for the rail line require between £18bn and £33bn of additional public money [...]
The tax effect: Reeves borrowed less than OBR forecast April 23, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves oversaw lower government borrowing than the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast in the financial year 2024 to 2025, it has been revealed, pointing to the effect sweeping tax hikes have had in narrowing the deficit. The Office for National Statistics has shown that government borrowing over the last financial year was £132bn [...]
Reeves hit by spike in government borrowing March 20, 2026 UK government borrowing rose by more than expected in February, it has been revealed, adding a strain on public finances as Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces trouble ahead with deciding the government’s response to the war in Iran. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said that the government borrowed £14bn, with economists having predicted the [...]
OBR warns inflation could exceed three per cent if Iran crisis continues March 10, 2026 Inflation is set to jump back up above three per cent if the rise in oil prices is sustained, a government watchdog has warned, amid fears the energy crisis in the Middle East could drag on. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)’s David Miles said the current rise in oil and gas prices would add [...]
Public finance bodies need more clarity, says boss of Reeves’ wealth fund January 28, 2026 The boss of Rachel Reeves’ flagship wealth fund has admitted British entrepreneurs want more clarity across public finance bodies as concerns rise over the growing number of institutions. Former RBS boss Oliver Holbourn, who the Chancellor appointed last July to lead the National Wealth Fund (NWF), said “people want more confidence in who they’re going [...]
Former OBR chair takes aim at Rachel Reeves’ fiscal rules January 13, 2026 The former chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility has taken aim at Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ fiscal rules, suggesting they prevent UK public finances from building enough “resilience”. In his first public appearance since his resignation last month due to the leaked Budget, Richard Hughes said the current fiscal rules were “among the loosest” 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 [...]
The top one per cent account for a third of tax revenue October 21, 2025 The top one per cent of taxpayers account for around a third of all income tax and capital gains tax paid in 2023-24, it has been revealed. According to HMRC, the top 500,000 taxpayers contributed £93.8bn last year, which represented 33 per cent of the total raised. The top 100,000 paid £54.9bn and covered a [...]