Inheriting the worst set of public finances for decades, Labour was always going to face an uphill struggle trying to fund improvements to the UK's public services. Inflated debt and recent hikes in the cost of borrowing mean the government is faced with stark choices.
Lord Keynes told us in 1941 how to pay for defence. We should follow his advice.
Trials of four innovative new security systems successfully launched at former nuclear site in Dorset. The trials of four innovative new security systems have been successfully launched at Winfrith, the former nuclear reactor test site in Dorset.
Children and vulnerable people who are exploited by gangs for criminal purposes will receive greater protection, with two new criminal offences set to be introduced by the government next week. Landmark legislation will be brought forward to ban cuckooing, a highly exploitative practice where criminals seize control of a vulnerable person's home without consent to conduct illegal activities like drug dealing.
The Martin Lewis podcast on scams is well worth listening to. Apart from the warnings it also gives some good advice on what to be aware of if you are contacted by scammers.
Donald Trump has declared himself King in the USA. He should take a lesson from history.
It's easy to talk about the problems with the UK economy. But, how do you fix it.
Approximately one in six (16%) trading businesses reported that their turnover had increased in January 2025 compared with the previous calendar month, up 2 percentage points from December 2024. The proportion that reported a decrease (28%) fell by 2 percentage points over the same period, in line with movements seen at this time of the year in 2023 and 2024.
It's hard to keep up with all the tariff announcements coming out of Washington. On February 1, the US president, Donald Trump, announced the introduction of 25% tariffs on most imported goods from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% levy on goods from China.
Scottish councils are agreeing their council tax levels and it is not good news as some are going up by as much as 10%. Following another council tax freeze for 2024/25 councils can now set the council tax level that they agree.
President Trump's orders to leave the Paris Agreement and "terminate the Green New Deal" will have far-reaching consequences in the United States and globally. Ensuing geopolitical shifts and power gaps are likely to benefit China - Timo Leiter writes about the implications for climate governance, climate finance and greenhouse gas mitigation.
The UK Armed Forces are working with allies to deliver joint exercises with African partners to protect our people, prosperity and shared values. The UK Armed Forces have been one of the biggest contributors to two large-scale military exercises that are reaching their climax this week across the land and sea of East Africa.
Around 11,000 Scottish homes and businesses to gain access to lightning-fast broadband. First Project Gigabit contract signed to bring fastest broadband networks on the market to rural Scotland.
Additional support confirmed for councils in exceptional difficulty to set balanced budgets. Long-term reform underway to fix foundations of local government.
Scottish Secretary welcomes £43.5m boost for sustainable packaging firm that will encourage growth, creating jobs and prosperity. The National Wealth Fund has made its first investment in Scotland since its transformation to help boost growth as part of the UK Government's Plan for Change.
A new independent Commission has been established to review sentencing and penal policy and identify the most effective ways to address offending behaviour to help reduce crime and lower the number of victims. The Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission will be chaired by Martyn Evans, former Chair of the Scottish Police Authority, supported by five expert commissioners.
Banks agree to pay fines for past exchanges of sensitive information about UK government bonds. CMA and 4 banks agree to settle separate cases related to UK government bonds, known as gilts.
UK continues to step up on European security in move to deepen defence ties with Norway. The UK has kickstarted negotiations today on a major defence agreement with Norway in a move that will bolster security at home and on the European continent and help deter Russian aggression.
This consultation seeks views on how the government can ensure the UK's legal framework for AI and copyright supports the UK creative industries and AI sector together. new proposals seek to bring legal certainty to creative and AI sectors over how copyright protected materials are used in model training, supporting innovation and boosting the growth of both sectors crucial to our Plan for Change.
Monthly receipts and expenditure figures can be volatile, so the year-to-date position provides a better indicator of progress against previous years and the forecast. The public sector spent more than it received in taxes and other income in the financial year (FY) to January 2025.
