Budget deficit

Critics of UK government’s economic forecaster are ‘shooting the messenger’, say MPs

by The Guardian | Sep 23, 2026 | Bonds, Budget, Budget deficit, Business, Economic policy, Economics, Government borrowing, Office for Budget Responsibility, Politics, Tax and spending, The Guardian, UK news | 0 |

Treasury committee rejects calls for fundamental reform of independent watchdog the Office for Budget ResponsibilityAttacks on the government’s independent economic forecaster from left and right of the political spectrum are...

UK borrows £18bn in August, putting pressure on Healey before budget

by The Guardian | Sep 22, 2026 | Bonds, Budget, Budget 2026, Budget deficit, Business, Economic policy, Economics, John Healey, Politics, The Guardian, UK news | 0 |

Higher-than-expected figure will make chancellor’s aim of calming jittery bond markets more difficultBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK government borrowed a higher-than-expected £18.3bn last month, increasing the pressure on...

Bank of England urged to slow or halt bond-selling to slash UK borrowing costs

by The Guardian | Sep 15, 2026 | Bank of England, Bonds, Budget deficit, Business, Economics, John Healey, Politics, The Guardian, UK news | 0 |

Economists urge John Healey to press Bank to change policy that is costing the exchequer billions of poundsEconomists have urged the chancellor, John Healey, to press the Bank of England to slow down its bond-selling programme...

UK reports unexpected deficit of £1.8bn as John Healey prepares for first budget

by The Guardian | Aug 21, 2026 | Budget deficit, Business, Economic policy, Economics, Government borrowing, John Healey, Office for Budget Responsibility, Office for National Statistics, Politics, Tax and spending, The Guardian, UK news | 0 |

July data shows total public debt was £2.98tn, or 94% of GDP – up £96bn on a year earlierBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK government ran a larger than expected £1.8bn deficit in July, underlining the challenges facing the...

Union calls for robust review of OBR over fears it holds back economic growth

by The Guardian | Aug 8, 2026 | Budget deficit, Business, Economic policy, Economics, Government borrowing, Investments, Money, Office for Budget Responsibility, Politics, The Guardian, Trade unions, TUC, UK news | 0 |

TUC will urge John Healey to order ‘root and branch’ assessment of watchdog amid claims its forecasts downplay investment benefitsThe TUC is urging the new chancellor, John Healey, to order a “root and branch” review of the...

UK faces ‘very difficult trade-offs’ in budget because of Iran war, say analysts

by The Guardian | Jul 28, 2026 | Andy Burnham, Bank of England, Budget, Budget deficit, Business, Economic policy, Economics, Government borrowing, Inflation, Iran, John Healey, Office for Budget Responsibility, Oil, Politics, Public finance, The Guardian, UK news, US-Israel war on Iran | 0 |

Leading thinktank says higher oil prices and inflation will give Andy Burnham a ‘challenging inheritance’Andy Burnham has been warned by a leading thinktank of “very difficult trade-offs in the next autumn budget” if the Iran...

‘There’s a risk of another Liz Truss moment’: City raises spectre of bond market meltdown again

by The Guardian | May 14, 2026 | Bank of England, Banking, Bonds, Budget deficit, Business, Economic growth (GDP), Economic policy, Economics, Financial sector, Gilts, Government borrowing, Keir Starmer, Labour, Liz Truss, Louise Haigh, Politics, Public finance, Rachel Reeves, Society, Tax and spending, The Guardian, UK news | 0 |

As Keir Starmer’s leadership totters, investors warn a Labour leadership contest ignoring public finances and market realpolitik could be disastrousA rise in borrowing costs and warnings to avoid a “Liz Truss moment”. As Keir...

Boring or bust: Reeves aims to project calm competence in spring budget

by The Guardian | Mar 1, 2026 | Budget 2026, Budget deficit, Business, Economic growth (GDP), Economic policy, Economics, Interest rates, Office for Budget Responsibility, Politics, Rachel Reeves, The Guardian, UK news | 0 |

After 18 months of policy U-turns and political turmoil we are told not to expect any last-minute policy rabbitsPoliticians tend to hate being boring but Rachel Reeves will be delighted if Tuesday’s spring forecast is judged by...

UK government borrowing falls to £11.6bn in December

by The Guardian | Jan 22, 2026 | Budget deficit, Business, Economic policy, Economics, Government borrowing, Office for Budget Responsibility, Office for National Statistics, Politics, Rachel Reeves, The Guardian, UK news | 0 |

Official figures better than expected after stronger receipts than a year earlierBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK government borrowed less than expected in December, official figures show, after stronger receipts than a year...

UK borrowing costs drop to lowest level in more than a year

by The Guardian | Jan 14, 2026 | Bonds, Budget deficit, Business, Economics, Politics, The Guardian, UK news | 0 |

Greater scope for interest rate cuts and reduced fears about government finances prompt bond yields to fallUK borrowing costs have dropped to their lowest level in more than a year, as investors were encouraged by more stable...

OBR says inadvertent budget leak is ‘worst failure’ in its 15-year history

by The Guardian | Dec 1, 2025 | Budget deficit, Business, Economic policy, Economics, Office for Budget Responsibility, Politics, Rachel Reeves, The Guardian, UK news | 0 |

Investigation finds organisation’s leadership over many years was to blame for error, and similar breach happened earlier this yearPolitics live –latest updatesBritain’s budget watchdog has said the early leak of its budget...

No 10 dismisses claim that OBR revelations show Reeves misled public about need for tax rises in budget – UK politics live

by The Guardian | Nov 28, 2025 | Budget deficit, Business, Conservatives, Economic policy, Economics, Employment law, Government borrowing, Labour, Office for Budget Responsibility, Politics, Rachel Reeves, Tax and spending, The Guardian, Trade unions, TUC, UK news | 0 |

Downing Street brushes off claims that the chancellor misled voters about the state of the public finances ahead of the budgetThe Office for Budget Responsibility has said that Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, was not at risk of...

Category: Budget deficit