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295 headlines found — Page 20 of 25

The Guardian Politics20 Mar 2026

Ministers look at blueprint for economic overhaul amid fears cost of living could hand election to far right

Many MPs say they are frustrated with communications strategy that brands both Reform and Greens as extremists Cabinet ministers have been studying a blueprint for Labour to radically overhaul its economic offer and messaging, including devolving tax powers, abolishing national insurance and major property tax reforms. Passed around dozens of MPs, the paper argues that without a major rethink, the failure to tackle the discontent on the cost of living will hand the next election to a hard-right

PoliticsEconomyEnvironmentHousing
The Guardian Politics19 Mar 2026

The Guardian view on Labour, liberals and the left: they agree on the problem, but not the solution | Editorial

From Brexit to fiscal rules to living costs, diagnoses multiply. Steel policy points to a missing link – the need for a strategy to rebuild The government has raised tariffs to protect the steel industry. It also nationalised the UK’s remaining blast furnaces last year to keep them running. Both moves point to the same conclusion: the current economic model is not working. A series of interventions from Labour’s Sir Sadiq Khan and Angela Rayner as well as the Green party leader, Zack Polanski,

EconomyEnvironmentHousing
The Guardian Politics19 Mar 2026

Some of the world’s poorest countries to lose UK aid due to 56% budget cut

UK’s bilateral aid to Africa, which funds programmes such as schools and clinics, to be cut by almost £900m by 2028-29 Some of the world’s poorest countries will lose out on UK aid which funds programmes such as schools and clinics due to budget cuts set out by the foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper. The UK’s bilateral aid to Africa will be cut by almost £900m by 2028-29 – a 56% cut – part of more than £6bn in cuts which must be delivered to fund an increase in defence spending. Continue reading.

EconomyDefenceEducation
The Guardian Politics19 Mar 2026

Khan says Labour should rejoin EU customs union and single market this parliament – UK politics live

London mayor also says his party should make clear manifesto commitment on full membership in next parliament Good morning. Shortly before the general election in 2024, Keir Starmer said he did not think the UK would rejoin the EU in his lifetime. (He is now 63.) At the time he was loath to say anything that implied the Brexit vote was a mistake. More recently, Labour has been happy to talk about the economic damage done by the leave vote, and ministers want a closer relationship with the EU, bu

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics19 Mar 2026

UK to cut climate aid to developing countries by 14% to £2bn a year in ‘refocus’

Move will put national security and lives overseas at risk, critics say, as overall UK aid budget is slashed to 0.3% of gross national income Climate aid to developing countries from the UK will be cut by about 14% to roughly £2bn a year under government plans, in a move critics said would put national security and lives overseas at risk. The move follows bitter rows with the Treasury, which wanted deeper cuts owing to pressure on spending resulting from the war in Iran. Continue reading...

EconomyDefenceEnvironment
The Guardian Politics19 Mar 2026

Ban corporate donations to UK political parties to protect elections, says thinktank

CenTax warns bill under debate in parliament has ‘easily exploitable’ loopholes and will not prevent foreign interference Political donations by companies should be banned to protect UK elections from foreign interference, a thinktank has warned. In the first big overhaul of election funding in 26 years, ministers have pledged to “keep British democracy safe” by closing a loophole that allows individuals not eligible to vote in Britain to donate to political parties through UK-registered compani

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics18 Mar 2026

Sadiq Khan urges Labour to campaign on rejoining EU at next election

Mayor of London says returning to EU now more desirable because of economic instability caused by Donald Trump Labour should go into the next general election promising to rejoin the EU, Sadiq Khan has said. The mayor of London has repeatedly made the case for joining the customs union and single market, but went much further on Wednesday night by suggesting the party should promise full membership at next ballot. Continue reading...

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics18 Mar 2026

Angela Rayner’s allies say HMRC inquiry set to be resolved before May elections

Exclusive: Resolution could pave way for full return to frontline politics, but allies stress she has no plans to directly challenge Keir Starmer For months there has been an apparently insurmountable obstacle to Angela Rayner going for the Labour leadership, should Keir Starmer find himself facing a contest. The investigation by HMRC into the former deputy prime minister’s tax affairs has hung heavily over her since she was forced to resign last September over underpayment of stamp duty on her

PoliticsEconomyHousing
The Guardian Politics18 Mar 2026

Reeves speech had a giant hole: the sky-high cost of energy for industry | Nils Pratley

Businesses say the chancellor’s response to the problem is too timid and more radical thinking is needed We’ll have closer trade relations with the EU, be the fastest adopters of AI in the G7, shift some tax revenues to the regions and squash the Nimbys if they stand in the way of growth “corridors”. It’s a plan. Or, at least, it’s a sketch of a plan since the EU will surely have its own ideas on what it wants from trade renegotiations. Still, Rachel Reeves’ big resetting speech this week set a

Economy
The Guardian Politics18 Mar 2026

Polanski positions Greens’ economic policy as radical alternative to Reeves

Offer to reform taxes, tackle ‘rip-off Britain’ and overhaul fiscal rules could tempt exasperated Labour supporters Zack Polanski says Greens would ditch GDP targets and focus on wellbeing instead The venue for Zack Polanski’s economic speech on Wednesday – a sunny north London garden centre – could hardly have been more different to the sombre City backdrop for Rachel Reeves’s Mais lecture on Tuesday. The chancellor was, as it happens, the last politician to give a major economic speech at th

EconomyEnvironmentHousing
The Guardian Politics18 Mar 2026

Zack Polanski says Greens would ditch GDP targets and focus on wellbeing instead

Leader uses first major economic speech to prioritise public services and reduction of inequality over growth UK politics live – latest updates A government led by the Green party would not set targets for GDP growth but would instead focus on people’s mental health, social cohesion and community welfare, Zack Polanski has said in a major speech to set out his plans for the economy. In his first policy address since taking over as leader of the Greens in England and Wales six months ago, Polan

PoliticsEconomyEnvironmentHealthcare
The Guardian Politics18 Mar 2026

Side hustles: what you need to know about paying tax in the UK

Whether it’s buying and selling clothes online or some freelance work on the side, plan ahead for potential tax issues Since the start of 2024, online platforms such as Vinted, eBay and Airbnb have been required to share data with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for any users who sell more than 30 items a year or earn more than about £1,700 (the threshold is set at €2,000) a year. However, this does not necessarily mean that those users owe any additional income tax. Continue reading...

Economy