News

Original reporting and the latest political headlines from across the UK.

Our Articles

Mainstream Headlines

Filtering by:Tag: economy×Source: The Guardian Politics×Clear all

475 headlines found — Page 7 of 40

The Guardian Politics22 Jul 2026

The Guardian view on Andy Burnham and devolution: it takes a powerful centre to decentralise power | Editorial

When it comes to driving an agenda from No 10, the prime minister seems to have learned important lessons from his predecessor’s failure Before entering Downing Street, Andy Burnham cited the overcentralisation of power as a cause of Britain’s social and economic malaise. In his first week, the new prime minister has signalled his intent to bolster No 10 as an organ of executive power. The apparent contradiction – fortifying the centre to pursue an agenda of decentralisation – arises from a perv

PoliticsEconomyHousing
The Guardian Politics22 Jul 2026

Increased defence spending will boost UK economic growth, Streeting says

New defence secretary emphasises military will be spending priority over other departments under Burnham UK politics live – latest updates Wes Streeting has said increased defence spending would make “an enormous contribution” to economic growth as he emphasised that the military will be a spending priority for Andy Burnham’s government over other departments. The new defence secretary, in a speech at the Farnborough airshow, did not make any extra financial commitments but promised he would g

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics22 Jul 2026

Bus fare cap coming from aid budget will hit world’s poorest, Burnham told

Funding proposal for cost of living policy ‘throws global south countries under the bus’, says ActionAid UK director Burnham announces bus fares to be capped at £2 UK politics live – latest updates The world’s most vulnerable people will be put at risk by Andy Burnham’s decision to use the aid budget to pay for cheaper bus fares in England, charities have said. The prime minister announced on Wednesday that he would reduce the fare cap from £3 per journey to £2 for next year, funded mainly by

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics22 Jul 2026

The Treasury will check Andy Burnham’s ambitions – unless old orthodoxies are challenged | Larry Elliott

Fifty years ago, another Healey ran the Treasury. Today’s chancellor may find some things haven’t changed Some things never change. Fifty years ago, Britain was sweltering in the long hot summer of 1976. The Labour government was acutely aware that the financial markets were scrutinising its every move. And a man called Healey was running the Treasury. On the surface, the challenges facing John Healey are less severe than those Denis Healey had to grapple with half a century ago. Inflation is a

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics22 Jul 2026

Transport secretary ‘100% sure’ new cap on bus fares in England is fully funded – UK politics live

Earlier this week, Burnham’s new government faced questions about how the removal of VAT on electricity bills would be funded Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics. Andy Burnham’s new government is facing fresh questions on how it will fund its new policies aimed at easing the cost of living, after the prime minister announced a £2 cap on single bus fares this morning. Continue reading...

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics22 Jul 2026

UK inflation falls to 2.6% in lift for Burnham’s cost of living plans

Annual June figure comes after new PM pledges to reduce pressure on households and improve economy UK inflation dropped by more than expected in June to 2.6%, in a boost for Andy Burnham’s plans to reduce the cost of living. The new prime minister has pledged to bring down the cost of living to give households more disposable income and improve the outlook for the economy. Continue reading...

Economy
The Guardian Politics21 Jul 2026

From defence uplift to national care service, Andy Burnham faces question of funding

As new prime minister briefs cabinet on ‘cost of living government’, critics ask where money will come from UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham is under mounting pressure to explain how he will pay for his policy pledges as he implored his new cabinet to examine “all possible ways” to tackle the cost of living crisis. On his first full day in power, the prime minister faced questions about how he would fund the removal of VAT from electricity bills and also an expected uplift in def

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics21 Jul 2026

Fiscal hawk or big spender – what kind of chancellor will John Healey be?

The diligent, popular, unexpected pick for the Treasury has been given a straitjacket – and the job of funding the PM’s policy promises UK politics live – latest updates On the frequent occasions that John Healey would travel abroad as defence secretary, he was so determined to keep working he would get the crew to tether a desk to the inside of his military aircraft so he could read his papers. His diligence is one reason why Andy Burnham, the new prime minister, made Healey his unexpected pi

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics21 Jul 2026

Where will Andy Burnham find the money to fund his spending pledges?

The new PM is already under pressure to explain how he will pay for his ambitious plans to remake Britain Andy Burnham has made lowering the cost of living his first major policy announcement in government, with an immediate tax cut to remove VAT on energy bills. As he begins to flesh out his agenda for government, the prime minister said the measure would provide “breathing space” for households. But Burnham is under close scrutiny over how his plans will be funded. Continue reading...

Economy
The Guardian Politics21 Jul 2026

Healey as chancellor? Streeting as defence secretary? This isn’t a cabinet to change the UK like Burnham promised | Owen Jones

Putting Ed Miliband in charge of the Treasury would have signalled a genuine new era. Instead, the new PM has played it safe Andy Burnham has promised to bring “four decades of neoliberalism” to an end. The first serious test of that pledge was always going to be the cabinet he appointed. The red flags are impossible to ignore. Ending neoliberalism would mean putting privatised services back into public hands, unleashing public investment and using the power of the state to reshape the economy.

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics21 Jul 2026

Andy Burnham shakes up Whitehall with new government department

Office of Prime Minister and Cabinet, led by Louise Haigh, will oversee both No 10 in London and northern equivalent • Andy Burnham’s first Labour cabinet: who’s in and who’s out? Andy Burnham has created a powerful new department taking in parts of the Cabinet Office, Treasury and housing ministry to become the “dominant driver of the UK’s economy”. In one of his first acts, Burnham has created the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, to be headed up by his ally and enforcer Louise Haigh,

PoliticsEconomyHousing
The Guardian Politics21 Jul 2026

What will Andy Burnham’s VAT cut on electricity bills mean for you?

New prime minister is implementing immediate tax cut to help ease cost of living pressures for British households Andy Burnham to cut VAT on electricity bills as first cost of living move Household electricity bills for people in Great Britain will not attract VAT for six months, under the first of a series of cost of living measures announced by the new prime minister, Andy Burnham. Continue reading...

Economy