Pressure on Rachel Reeves grows as tax receipts disappoint February 21, 2025 Tax receipts rose at a slower pace than expected in January, new figures show, in a sign that the poor performance of the economy could have damaging fiscal consequences. According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the government recorded a monthly surplus of £15.4bn, meaning it received more in taxes than it [...]
What should an office for value for money do? November 21, 2024 There's no point in raising money if it won't be spent well. Joe Hill lays out how the office for value for money could actually help.
Labour conference: Reeves challenged over consumer ‘fear and foreboding’ September 23, 2024 Rachel Reeves has been challenged over claims the government has “generated a fear and foreboding” among consumers – but insisted she was “optimistic” about the economy. Ahead of her keynote speech to the Labour Party conference in Liverpool today, the Chancellor was challenged on Sky News over last week’s fall in consumer confidence to the [...]
OBR warns national debt is on ‘unsustainable path’ unless government takes action September 12, 2024 The OBR forecast that government spending would rise to 60 per cent of GDP, from 45 per cent at the moment, whereas revenue will remain flat.
True state of the public finances continues to divide opinion September 3, 2024 The true state of Labour’s fiscal inheritance continues to divide opinion. Over the first few weeks in office, the new government has been painting a very gloomy picture of the state of the public finances. The doom-mongering reached new heights last week after Sir Keir Starmer argued the state of the public finances were “worse [...]