Reform UK leader ‘shocked’ by £10bn pledged to Ukraine and doubles down on cutting tax for crypto investors Budget 2026: key points at a glance Nigel Farage skipped the chancellor’s first budget because he was worried he would get in a “physical altercation” with another MP in a row over seating arrangements. The Reform UK leader admitted he was not present in the House of Commons but gave a press conference afterwards in which he said he was “shocked” by the £10bn going to support Ukraine and doubled down on his party’s policies on cutting tax for crypto investors. Continue reading...
Nigel Farage skips budget in Commons over seating ‘altercation’ concerns
Source: The Guardian
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The Guardian
The Guardian view on Labour’s budget: bold ambitions and welcome first steps | Editorial
Banks, landlords and gambling firms will pay more as the chancellor begins building a fairer economy and a more active state in a cost of living crisis John Healey’s first budget was a Rorschach test. Supporters saw dozens of measures offering “ breathing space” to a public worn down by rising prices. Critics admitted to a slew of announcements but countered that each was modest in value . Underlying both views is that the budget was more ambitious on how a state can do more to protect the public than on how much it spends. The chancellor has taken a small step in the right direction – a tricky feat in a turbulent world. But an economy marked by entrenched inequality and more than a decade of stagnation will need a bigger stride. The Office for Budget Responsibility’s “ pretty grim picture ” of living standards exposes the budget’s central weakness: its relief is temporary, while the squ
BBC Politics
Burnham rules out early general election in next 12 months
The prime minister has denied speculation from some opposition parties that he will go to the country in spring 2027.
The Guardian
Budget 2026: £100 energy payment for millions and rise in bank tax as watchdog warns on stalling living standards – as it happened
OBR says that living standards are forecast to rise by just 1% over the whole post-Covid decade Budget 2026: key points at a glance Martin Lewis said that, when he met John Healey this morning, the chancellor said that, having removed standing charges from gas bills, he would also like to get rid of them from electricity bills. Lewis said: The chancellor said he will be talking to Ofgem about how they get rid of the charge on electricity as well, but that is ‘trickier’ apparently and will take longer. Continue reading...
The Guardian
He promised fresh hope and delivered doom, but Dr Death’s budget succeeds in doing no harm | John Crace
Armed with 98 measures, a rictus grin and a decidedly comedy-free speech, the chancellor at least offered us – and Labour – some breathing space It was as if John Healey was taking the Hippocratic oath. First do no harm. For your first budget, this may be no bad thing: we can all think of plenty of chancellors who have done untold damage. Take a bow George Osborne. It might just have been better if the doctor that Healey had chosen to impersonate was not Dr Death. John can’t help looking like the last man you would want to stop by your hospital bed. Not everyone can have a naturally sunny disposition. His face seems to be carved out of despair. But it would be a big help if, when called upon to make his most important speech of the year, he didn’t reinforce the impression when he opened his mouth. A one-way journey to the slough of despond. Continue reading...
The Guardian
Will Healey’s budget tackle the cost of living? – podcast
John Healey has delivered a ‘steady as she goes’ budget, with help for the cost of living a big theme. The chancellor promised a £100 energy payment for some households, extended the VAT suspension on electricity bills to next July and confirmed the scrapping of gas standing charges. But after months of the same old message of ‘hope in difficult times’, and many of the big decisions on tax and spending delayed until next year, what should we take away from today? Continue reading...
The Guardian
Bills, banks, ‘breathing space’: what was in Burnham’s first budget? - The Latest
In his first budget as chancellor, John Healey has pledged to offer ‘breathing space’ to help Britons navigate ‘global economic storms’. There were a record number of measures, including a one-off £100 energy payment to millions and a rise in the levy on bank profits. But the Conservatives have criticised the government for postponing big decisions, including on defence and welfare. Lucy Hough speaks to economics editor Heather Stewart – watch on YouTube Continue reading...