UK politics live: Downing Street says ‘nothing off the table’ over British troops deployed to Ukraine
In her spring statement next week, the chancellor is expected to try blaming the drop on worsening global economics amid Donald Trump’s tariffs
Downing Street have said that “nothing is off the table” in terms of possible UK troop deployment for Ukraine, as Western military planning is set to intensify in London next week.
Number 10 said “thousands” of personnel would be required to support any operation whether by “sea, on land or in the air” as allies prepare “for all eventualities” amid diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Officials from the so-called coalition of the willing will “accelerate the pace and scale” of work to consolidate proposals for possible troop deployment across land, air or sea to safeguard any peace deal.
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer warned Vladimir Putin would face “severe consequences” for breaching any truce as he met defence planners for the first stage of talks at the UK’s Northwood military headquarters on Thursday.
In another setback for Rachel Reeves, UK Government borrowing soared above forecasts last month as public sector spending rose, putting pressure ahead of the spring statement next week.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing was £10.7 billion in February. This was £100 million more than the same month last year and the fourth-highest February on record.
In her spring statement next week, Rachel Reeves is expected to try blaming the drop on worsening global economics amid Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Stanley Tucci and Stephen Fry call on Starmer to rethink ‘shameful’ benefit cuts
Stanley Tucci, Brian Cox and Sir Stephen Fry have piled pressure on the government to U-turn on controversial welfare cuts.
The celebrities have branded the cuts, which will see around a million people lose their disability benefits, “shameful” and warned they have left those affected fearful for the future.
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that the current system is “morally and economically indefensible”, with the government estimating its measures will save more than £5bn a year by the end of the decade.
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Stanley Tucci and Stephen Fry call on Starmer to rethink ‘shameful’ benefit cuts
£25bn Russian assets frozen by UK since start of Ukraine war, Treasury says
Some £25 billion worth of Russian assets have been frozen by the UK Government since the start of the Ukraine war, newly-released figures have revealed.
A report released by the Treasury on Friday revealed the total, which accounts for all assets that have been sanctioned by the UK since February 2022 when the invasion of Ukraine began.
Some 2,001 individuals and entities have been sanctioned under the regime as of March 2024, according to the Treasury.
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£25bn Russian assets frozen by UK since start of Ukraine war, Treasury says
Farage called suspended Reform MP’s behaviour ‘disgusting’ in private texts
Suspended Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe said Nigel Farage “must never become prime minister” after the party leader allegedly called his behaviour “disgusting” and “contemptible” in leaked private messages.
Mr Farage accused Mr Lowe of “damaging the party just before elections” in a WhatsApp conversation with a member of the Great Yarmouth MP’s staff, the BBC reported.
It comes as new polling suggests the fallout from the Great Yarmouth MP’s ousting is now hurting Reform. The weekly Techne UK tracker poll revealing the Tories level with Reform on 23 per cent each for the first time in two months.
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Farage called suspended Reform MP’s behaviour ‘disgusting’ in private texts
Miliband insists net zero provides growth opportunity for UK
Miliband ‘very confident’ hundreds of thousands of green jobs will be created
When is the Spring Statement – and what will be in it? From taxes to spending cuts
Rachel Reeves will soon give an update on her plans for the UK economy as she prepares to make the first Spring Statement of the new Labour government. The chancellor will also speak to an economic forecast as part of the event, with many predicting further spending cuts to come as the Treasury seeks to tackle ailing growth.
Ms Reeves will be delivering the statement on Wednesday 26 March. She had previously committed to one major economic event a year – the Budget – which usually comes in the Autumn. This is to "give families and businesses stability and certainty on tax and spending changes," she says.
This means there a no major policy announcements expected as part of the statement, although some have predicted that reduced spending targets and some key tax changes will be revealed.
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When is the Spring Statement – and what will be in it?
Labour’s welfare ‘reforms’ are nothing of the sort – and they don’t go anywhere near far enough
Iain Duncan Smith: Labour’s welfare ‘reforms’ are nothing of the sort
UK economic growth forecast to be cut in half in blow to Starmer and Reeves
The UK’s official economic growth forecast for this year will be cut in half next week in a blow to Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, it has emerged.
As the chancellor prepares to unveil a swathe of spending cuts at next week’s mini-Budget, the government’s spending watchdog is set to lower the expected growth rate for 2025 from 2 per cent to about 1 per cent.
The Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) downgrade is a major blow for the government, with Sir Keir having repeatedly said economic growth is his top priority.
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UK economic growth forecast to be cut in half in blow to Starmer and Reeves
Lord Sugar: Starmer should ‘get down on bended knee and beg’ to get back into EU
Lord Sugar says Starmer should ‘get down on bended knee and beg’ to get back into EU
Starmer not moving away from having UK ground forces in Ukraine, says Miliband
Sir Keir Starmer is not moving away from the idea of placing British ground forces in Ukraine as part of a future peacekeeping deal, one of his most senior ministers said.
The Prime Minister on Thursday said the so-called “coalition of the willing” was dividing its planning efforts between air, sea, land and borders, and regenerating Ukraine.
He did not explicitly repeat his previous commitment to put boots on the ground in Ukraine, leading some to speculate Sir Keir was shifting the emphasis of the mission.
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Starmer not moving away from having UK ground forces in Ukraine, says Miliband
Half of Reform UK voters don’t believe in the Covid vaccine, poll shows
Half of Reform UK voters have little or no confidence in Covid-19 vaccines, compared with the general public who overwhelmingly trust the jabs, a YouGov poll has found.
Those who back Nigel Farage’s party have a “distinct” attitude towards the vaccines, with 50 per cent saying they do not trust them.
That compares to 71 per cent of the public who said they trust the Covid jab a great deal or a fair amount, and just 24 per cent of voters who said they do not trust it much or at all. Reform voters are also significantly more likely to not have been vaccinated against Covid during the pandemic, the poll found.
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