Tax driver: Labour’s budget

After a visit to Ukraine last week, our defence editor reports on a new phase of the war as Kyiv and other civilian targets are bombarded by Russian missiles. He also visits an elite Ukrainian drone unit. Why alcohol companies are scrambling to innovate. And remembering the life ...  Show more

The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates for the first time since July 2023. For the central bank’s new chair Kevin Warsh, that decision was a test both of monetary policy and politics. A governor’s election in Okinawa is a boon to Japan’s military ambitions. And why summer ...  Show more

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has raised taxes by £40 billion in the first Labour budget in fourteen years. Does it ‘fix the foundations’ or does it punish ‘working people’?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscrib ...  Show more

Rachel Reeves' first statement as the new Chancellor has kicked off a huge political row. She accused her predecessor Jeremy Hunt of lying about the 'true state' of the UK's finances - and he hit back calling her ‘shameless’. So was there actually a ‘cover up’ by the previous gov ...  Show more

Rachel Reeves has paved the way for potential tax rises. In a speech three weeks before the budget, the chancellor refused to commit to Labour’s manifesto promise to not raise National Insurance, income tax or VAT. With Nigel Farage also back-pedalling on tax cuts, is it time for ...  Show more

Chancellor Rishi Sunak presented his second Budget this week, tearing up Conservative economic orthodoxy with billions of pounds of spending and tax rises. What state are the UK's public finances in? And will he actually go ahead with planned spending cuts? Plus, we examine th ...