Browsing: Spring Statement

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.

King Charles in hospital – Much of Friday’s headlines in the UK are reporting on the latest update in King Charles’s health. The 76-year-old has been admitted to the hospital due to side effects from his treatment. 

There are ongoing discussions over Wednesday’s Spring Statement, with disability payments and potential future tax raids being two of the most popular talking points. 

On the international front, there’s more coverage of Donald Trump and his administration as they continue to push to take over Greenland and the Germany’s reaction to the latest tariff announcements. 

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”.

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. 

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.

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)

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. 

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.

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.