OBR should focus more on policy growth ‘upsides’ – says Tony Blair think tank November 6, 2025 The Government must force the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to take more account of policy “upsides” when assessing an impact on growth, Tony Blair’s think tank has said. The Treasury watchdog should be required to be bolder in predicting growth to reward more ambitious economic policies, a report by the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) [...]
Richard Tice pledges ‘Big Reform’ of City regulation November 5, 2025 Richard Tice has called on City leaders to draw up proposals to radically cut regulation and introduce an overhaul of major financial institutions across the UK as he called for a “Big Reform” of financial services. In an echo of Margaret Thatcher’s Big Bang programme on deregulation, the Reform UK deputy leader set out the [...]
George Osborne: Income tax hike is ‘easier’ option for Reeves November 5, 2025 Former Chancellor George Osborne has said that hiking one of the three main taxes which Labour said they would not raise – income tax rates, VAT and national insurance – would be the “easier” option for Rachel Reeves to add significant revenue. In an appearance before the Treasury Select Committee alongside former business secretary Vince [...]
UK businesses shrug off Budget tax fears in push for growth November 5, 2025 UK businesses enjoyed a boost in activity in October due to improved demand for good, a leading survey has indicated, in signs that the momentum in growth was growing ahead of the Budget. S&P Global’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has offered the Chancellor and the Bank of England some positive relief ahead of crucial policy [...]
Andrew Bailey: Bank of England Governor to have ‘deciding vote’ on interest rates November 5, 2025 Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey is set to have the deciding vote on whether to slash interest rates by 25 basis points, analysts have said. The Bank is expected to keep interest rates on hold at four per cent but several analysts have said the decision is on a knife-edge, with four Monetary Policy [...]
Cut interest rates by 25 basis points, Shadow MPC says November 5, 2025 Top economists on City PM’s Shadow Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) have called for interest rates to be cut to 3.75 per cent in a narrow 5-4 vote. Economists from academia, business and City giants have said that the UK’s weakening demand and easing price pressures suggested the Bank of England should look to cut interest [...]
UK faces ‘urgent crisis’ on workplace sickness, review says November 5, 2025 The UK is facing a “quiet but urgent crisis” on workplace sickness that costs the country around seven per cent of GDP each year, a review by former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield has found. The Keep Britain Working Review, an independent report by Mayfield for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and [...]
Left and rightwing think tanks join to call for ‘pro-growth’ tax reform November 5, 2025 Several think tanks from across the political divide have joined forces to call for sweeping tax reforms in a report that seeks to prioritise productivity growth and fairness in the wider system. Economists and policy officials from the left-leaning IPPR, the right-leaning Centre for Policy Studies and the likes of the Adam Smith Institute and [...]
Rachel Reeves blames everyone – apart from herself November 5, 2025 The Chancellor’s speech yesterday was really very odd indeed. It benefited from all the gravitas of a Downing Street address to the nation, but was remarkably thin on substance. She created an atmosphere of high drama but left her audience with nothing but questions to which she was unable or unwilling to provide an answer. [...]
Autumn Budget: Reeves must cure British ‘pessimism’ disease November 5, 2025 Ahead of the Autumn Budget, City Reporter Samuel Norman sits down with top industry names for a Budget Briefing. This week, chief executive of Peel Hunt urges Reeves to use the Budget to start the cure for British pessimism. As Rachel Reeves ruminates over which tax prescription to write to fill her fiscal black hole, [...]
