Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled a bold, near‑£113 billion, four‑year investment‑led spending review ahead of the next general election, marking a clear shift from austerity to a “renewal” agenda. 

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will introduce a £39 billion, 10‑year investment in social and affordable housing as the centrepiece of a multi‑year spending review, nearly doubling current levels to meet a target of 1.5 million homes.

The UK government has committed £14.2 billion to build the Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk, aiming to generate electricity for about 6 million homes and create 10,000 jobs, as part of a wider £113 billion infrastructure investment plan announced by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.

Nearly 350,000 NHS nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are being asked to vote on a 3.6% pay rise from Monday. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has slammed the offer as “grotesque” and warned it could trigger a fresh strike ballot.

Scottish Labour pulled off an unexpected victory in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, taking the seat from the SNP despite sliding poll numbers and backlash over UK-wide policies like cuts to winter fuel payments.

The government has confirmed that more people will qualify for the winter fuel payment this year, in a U-turn on one of Labour’s first controversial policies. Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated the increased eligibility will be in place “this winter,” though specific details on the new threshold and who qualifies remain vague.