Reeves to announce £2bn defence boost to secure more orders from allies March 14, 2025 The government has pledged an extra £2bn to support UK defence exporters in a bid to unlock more orders from international allies. This increases the lending capacity of the UK Export Finance’s (UKEF), the country’s official export credit agency, to £10bn. The UKEF’s Direct Lending scheme provides loans to other countries, which allow them to [...]
Week in Business: Will Starmer Slash the State? March 13, 2025 Javier Milei, Elon Musk, and now Keir Starmer? The PM says he wants to reform the state - just don't call it austerity.
If crises are the test of a nation, Western Europe is failing March 12, 2025 The financial crisis and the pandemic have shown how modern Europe deals with crises. And it's not pretty, writes Paul Ormerod.
Reeves eyeing spending cuts as fiscal walls cave in March 10, 2025 Rachel Reeves is expected to take the chop to spending in her upcoming Spring Statement, as the government’s fiscal headroom disappears. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is set to show a depletion in the Chancellor’s headway, according to BNP Paribas economists. This leaves the government with little options beside further tax hikes or spending [...]
Week in Business: Who will Rachel Reeves blame for higher taxes in Spring Statement? March 6, 2025 Morning Wire Editor Christian May looks at the biggest business stories in his weekly video, today focusing on the UK economy and upcoming Spring Statement.
How to achieve growth in the UK? Copy the UAE March 6, 2025 The UAE has shown what a country with its eye set on growth looks like. Rachel Reeves could learn more than a few things, writes Brandon Lewis.
Net Zero: weak economic growth, high energy prices and stagnant productivity? March 5, 2025 How many times have we heard the argument that there is no trade-off between pursuing Net Zero and economic growth? The argument lies at the heat of the country’s economic, climate and environmental policy debate. The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, repeats the mantra at every opportunity – “clean energy and Net Zero equals good jobs [...]
A win on the world stage masks mounting trouble at home March 4, 2025 Keir Starmer has won plaudits for his decision to increase defence spending (albeit by less than the amount he’s given Ed Miliband to run a pretend energy company) and voters appear to be firmly behind the PM’s decision to fund this modest splurge by raiding the international development budget. The latest Morning Wire Freshwater Strategy [...]
Growth plan: Sadiq Khan wants to boost London economy by £100bn February 27, 2025 Sir Sadiq Khan unveiled his plan to “turbocharge” London’s economy, claiming it could boost the capital’s coffers by £107bn by 2035. The mayor unveiled what he’s called the London Growth Plan at Imperial College London’s campus, in a speech to council leaders, businesses and media. Sir Sadiq’s plan for the capital aims to put an [...]
Budget costing jobs and pushing up inflation, survey suggests February 21, 2025 Excluding the pandemic, employment fell at the fastest pace since the global financial crisis, the survey suggested.