The £40 billion gamble

The Times has discovered that thousands of migrants are using a new, hybrid route to try to come to the UK: legal flights and visas, combined with illegal border crossings. But most don’t make it; the smuggling gangs detain them in Libya, to use them as slaves or for organ harves ...  Show more

In his second administration, Donald Trump has so far pardoned or released approximately 1,800 convicted criminals. That includes rioters who stormed the Capitol, fraudsters who stole millions from their victims, and people with connections to the president. So why is Trump on a ...  Show more

Rachel Reeves’s first budget as chancellor of the exchequer saw the biggest tax rises in decades, as well as promi ...

Labour’s shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves reacts, after the government announces tax rises and a spending squeeze, as well as money for schools and the NHS.She’s also quizzed on what her party would do differently.Following her, host of Radio 4’s Money Box Live Adam Shaw, with mat ...  Show more

UK chancellor Rachel Reeves has had an action-packed week. She made a U-turn on winter fuel payments, announced plans to spend billions of pounds on new transport schemes and, following the prime minister’s latest announcement, she now has to find yet more money to fund a rise in ...  Show more

The chancellor Rachel Reeves is about to confront the British public with the size of the black hole in the country’s finances. A funding shortfall of about £20bn is likely to lead to tax rises at the Budget later this year. So — how to fix the problem? The FT ...