Archive: Deficit Reduction

George Osborne under fire for 'gimmicky' deficit ban

Boris Johnson adviser suggests policy would hamper investment and growth

NASUWT: Chancellor must end tax system that enables greed to flourish

As millions of public sector workers prepare for industrial action over the Government’s attacks on pensions, the NASUWT is backing a report that demonstrates the staggering amount of money lost each year as a result of corporate tax avoidance.
ESRC: Parliament's power has shifted to the banks

A recent report by Positive Money into the UK's banking system has highlighted that the banks have more spending power than the Government. But, unlike the Government, the banking system is not accountable to voters and its power is concentrated in the hands of a few people. Five banks, with branches on most high streets, hold 85 per cent of the UK's money and they have less than 80 board members - individuals whose decisions have the power to shape the economy.
Unite: Working people losing three days’ wages to payday lenders

Unite warns Wonga Week a monthly fixture with working people borrow to get by as survey reveals debt hole swallowing £2.7 billion of workers' wages.
FSB: Budget must deliver plans on deficit reduction

FSB: Budget must deliver plans on deficit reduction

Budget 2015 analysis: A more mature Osborne plays a more complex political game

Osborne sacrifices targeted electoral bribes in a bid to shore up Tory reputation for financial responsibility
Coalition law leaves 50,000 without debt advice

Ministers are refusing to use cash from payday lender fines to fund charities offering debt advice. Don't they realise this looks bad?

Tories won't let facts come into the election campaign - and they don't need to

The next four months won't be decided by facts, but by the impression of facts. And Tories are intent on keeping it that way.
Something wicked this way comes: The mystery of deficit reduction after 2015

Massive cuts are coming after 2015, but none of the main parties have bothered to tell us what they are

The coalition will leave more debt than all Labour governments since 1900

The government's claims to be balancing the books don't stack up.
Budget 2014 as-it-happened

All the details of this year's Budget, as it happened.

Cutting immigration 'will harm deficit reduction'

Cuts to immigration will increase Britain's debt-to-GDP ratio, the chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility says
Sketch: After years of misery, Osborne overdoes the gloating

George Osborne's parents watched their little boy be all "serious" at the Conservative party conference - but he couldn't help showing off to them all the same.

No thanks to Vince: Clegg wins Lib Dem backing for coalition's austerity drive

Nick Clegg has won his party's renewed support for the coalition's austerity drive, after rebels calling for a "rebalanced" economic policy were roundly defeated.
Spending review: Reading through the fine print

An extended coalition, good news for the middle classes, and some unexpected savings: this year's spending review contains a lot more than the highlights chosen by George Osborne for his Commons statement.

Balls busts RBS shares giveaway

Labour is ready to fight the coalition's plans to get rid of its shares in RBS, Ed Balls has made clear.
Liam Fox speech in full

Read Liam Fox's call for a decisive shift to the right on economic policy, in full and unedited.

Slapped down: Cameron rebuked for 'misleading' economy speech

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has issued a stern rebuke to David Cameron for misleading the public over the economy.
Paying the price: Sterling slips after AAA downgrade

Financial markets are casting judgement on the UK economy's performance this morning, after Britain lost its triple-A credit rating at the weekend.

Deficit reduction 'just smoke and mirrors'

Latest borrowing figures show the coalition is drawing down the deficit – but Labour says "smoke and mirrors" are obscuring the real picture.
Cameron misled the public in party broadcast

David Cameron misled the nation when he used a party political broadcast to say the coalition was "paying back Britain's debts", the chair of the UK Statistics Authority said today.

Revealed: Why Osborne can afford to ignore the rating agencies

George Osborne had cause to smile today after new data suggested he may be able to ride out any downgrading of the UK's credit rating without a damaging rise in interest payments.
'Inconceivable!' The autumn statement that doesn't add up

George Osborne's autumn statement will inflict "inconceivable" cuts on some government departments which will raise questions about their ability to deliver services, experts have warned.

Autumn statement fallout: Icy grip takes hold as AAA credit rating under threat

George Osborne's entire economic strategy is teetering on its foundations after a major credit rating agency said it would reconsider Britain's AAA rating.
Comment: Osborne loses touch with reality

The chancellor going mad – pressing ahead with the same old policies and expecting different results.

Autumn statement as-it-happened

The live blog for people who don't understand economics: Follow every second of George Osborne's autumn statement and try to work out what on earth is going on.
Price of a pint: The war against beer tax

Pub goers could enjoy significantly cheaper pints if a group of MPs manage to force a U-turn on beer tax later this week.

Rebel banking inquiry: Let's pay back deficit in one go

One final round of quantitative easing should be used across Europe to clear government deficits, according to a rebel banking inquiry
Corporation tax down, welfare spending up: Is Osborne doomed?

George Osborne faced serious questions about his deficit reduction plan after unexpectedly bad figures for July showed public finances plunging into the red.