Chancellor rejects poverty fears – Chancellor Rachel Reeves has rejected claims that her welfare strategy will push children and families into poverty. It comes after analysis has started on her Spring Statement – and what it means for both the poorest and wealthiest in Britain.
Dame Harriet Harman suggests that government whips may be overestimating the number of Labour MPs rebelling against welfare cuts as a tactic for “expectation management”.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Trump’s ban on transgender military personnel, citing potential “irreparable harm” to service members.
Cliff Notes – US revoked around 300 visas in crackdown on students — Rubio US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration…
Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, acknowledges Donald Trump’s significant role in altering the global security landscape, particularly since the war in Ukraine began.
Emmanuel Macron’s proposal for a “reassurance force” to support Ukraine lacks unanimous support among European allies, with only some nations willing to participate.
Happy Thursday! Today’s newspaper front pages are, unsurprisingly, dominated by yesterday’s Spring Statement. It’s a tough read for the chancellor this morning as the newspapers round on her plans with accusations that her time will soon be up as chancellor, that she’s returning Britain to austerity and that the poor will be hit the hardest – when it should be the wealthy taxed.
Economic growth in doubt – Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement, several newspapers highlight the OBR’s warning that the Chancellor’s plans for economic growth could be wiped out by the global trade war as Donald Trump continues to issue further tariff threats.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has halved the 2025 economic growth forecast to 1%, down from 2%. Despite these austerity measures, the tax burden is projected to reach a record 37.7% of the GDP by 2027-28.
Recent welfare cuts are projected to push tens of thousands of children into poverty, disproportionately affecting low-income families and those with disabilities.
Spring Statement 2025 reaction – Thursday’s headlines are reacting to yesterday’s Spring Statement delivered by the chancellor.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced significant measures to address the UK’s economic challenges. Key points include a £14 billion plan involving cuts to welfare payments (£4.8 billion) and departmental spending (£3.6 billion) to fix public finances. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has halved the 2025 economic growth forecast to 1%, down from 2%. Despite these austerity measures, the tax burden is projected to reach a record 37.7% of the GDP by 2027-28. Additionally, a £3.25 billion Transformation Fund was introduced to drive efficiencies across government departments.
Following the chancellor’s update on the economy, Donald Trump announced new import taxes of 25% on cars and car parts coming into America in a move that threatened to widen the global trade war.
Zelensky urges US and allies to stand strong against Russia – defiant that Russia is the evil empire. He acknowledged the bipartisan support within the US for Ukraine but cautioned against the influence of Russian narratives on American officials that could undermine their stance.
Emmanuel Macron expressed concerns over Russia’s tendency to reinterpret ceasefire agreements, following a recent tentative deal involving Ukraine, the US, and Russia concerning strikes in the Black Sea region.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves says the 2025 growth estimate for the UK has been halved to 1% from 2% by the government’s official forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)
Washington is lifting sanctions on Moscow for the first time in over three years, indicating a significant shift towards US-Russia rapprochement under Donald Trump.
Happy Wednesday – and most importantly, Happy Spring Statement Day! Today, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will set out her plans for the UK economy for the next year, presenting her budget plans to the Commons at 12:30.
The chancellor is set to introduce significant changes aimed at balancing the UK’s public finances amidst economic uncertainty. Spending cuts are expected to be the main focus, with charities urging the government not to hit the poorest the hardest.
There are continued reactions to the news that top Trump official Mike Walz accidentally added a journalist to a group chat where top US officials were discussing plans to bomb Yemen.
The journalist leaked the messages, with the content from those messages leading headlines around the world. The major security blunder has led to questions in the US over Trump’s team and their lax approach to security.
The content of the messages revealed what most of Europe already knew – the United States hates Europe, calling the continent ‘pathetic’ and ‘free loaders.’
What can we expect in the Spring Statement 2025? – Wednesday’s Spring Statement, set to be announced by the chancellor this afternoon, dominates much of the UK news this morning. There is continued speculation over how severe the chancellor’s cuts to public spending will be amid promises that she is hunting growth for the UK economy.
The latest UK inflation figures are set to be released this morning, ahead of the chancellor’s statement, which will be delivered at 12:30 in the Commons.
Elsewhere, Prince Harry has stepped down from his role at the charity he co-founded after a row between the trustees and the chair of its board.
On the international front, the ongoing fallout with the Trump administration after the Yemen bombing plans were accidently shared with a journalist and there’s extensive coverage of the devastating wildfires sweeping South Korea, having already killed 18 people.
The rollout of assisted dying legislation in England and Wales has been postponed, now expected to take place no earlier than 2029 due to a four-year extension proposed by MPs.
Turkish protests continue for the sixth consecutive day following the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, leading to a crackdown that has seen over 1,400 arrests, including seven journalists.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will reveal additional welfare cuts in her spring statement, following a report by the Office for Budget Responsibility indicating the initial reforms will save £3.4bn instead of the anticipated £5bn.
The £9bn Lower Thames Crossing project, spanning 14.5 miles and featuring a 2.6-mile tunnel, has been approved after 16 years of planning and £1.2bn in costs.
Most of the American headlines (and global) are reporting on the massive blunder from Trump’s team when a left-wing journalist was accidentally added to a group chat. The chat was leaked – as were some juicy details, which is leading many headlines in print and online. From plans to bomb Yemen’s Houthis to calling Europe ‘pathetic’ the leak has led to calls for a probe and questions over national security protocols.
Elsewhere, the USMNT has finished fourth in the Nations League – fourth out of just four teams. For those looking ahead to the World Cup, the bigger concern was over the poor attendance at the USA matches over the Nations League, with more questions arising about how the USA (along with Canada and Mexico) will fare in hosting the 2026 tournament.
The headlines this morning continue speculating over Wednesday’s Spring Statement. The chancellor has hinted at severe spending cuts and the left-wing backbenchers are eyeing up a rebellion – one No 1o is desperate to stamp out before it gets going. The papers suggest the chancellor is trying to buy off rebels with a £2bn affordable housing plan.
Tuesday’s headlines are heavily focused on what’s happening outside our little island, with heavy coverage of the latest airstrikes in Ukraine and the group chat blunder from top US officials.
A handful of headlines look ahead to Wednesday’s Spring Statement and continue to speculate on potential job losses and cuts to public spending. There is a handful of stand-alone stories on the front pages, covering domestic news.
A group chat on Signal inadvertently included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, who received advance notice of US military strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen from senior Trump administration officials.
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