Portugal jobless rate slips to 6.5% in March

The Independent
British decline linked to Brexit, weak leadership and poor finances in damning report
A damning report has shown that the UK has dropped out of the top 10 countries for good governance under Rishi Sunak’s leadership
The Telegraph
Keir Starmer’s plan for government is vanishing before the voters’ eyes
The strange thing about Keir Starmer’s policy ideas is that they tend to evaporate as the years go on. He ran for Labour leader with clear, radical pledges: to abolish the House of Lords, waive all university tuition fees and more. Over time, such promises were downgraded then, dropped altogether. On Thursday, it seemed his policy vanishing act was complete. Amid great fanfare in an Essex film studio, the Shadow Cabinet gathered to reveal the latest strategy: to promise, in effect, almost nothin
HuffPost UK
'Gaslighting The Public': Jeremy Hunt's Labour Tax Warning Gets Rinsed On Social Media
The chancellor somehow failed to mention the part he's played in increasing the tax burden to an 80-year high.
The Telegraph
Russia may have to hand back Ukrainian territory after the war – to fix its economy
The wider Russo-Ukraine War has now been going on for more than two years. War, thanks to von Clausewitz, is often described as being politics by other means. But politics is, frequently, a matter of economics – therefore war is very often a clash of economies.
The Telegraph
Britain would pay a high price under Labour
At a rally in Essex on Thursday, Sir Keir Starmer set out his six pledges to the British public ahead of an election that could return a Labour government. Now we have found out just how much one could cost. Based on Treasury costings of 50 Labour policies, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt warned that a Starmer administration would plunge Britain’s finances into a £38 billion black hole, suggesting that Sir Keir would need to raise taxes to fill the gap.
HuffPost UK
Jeremy Hunt Claims Labour Will Put Up Taxes, Apparently Forgetting His Own Legacy
The government's record seems to have slipped the chancellor's mind.
Yahoo Finance UK
Eurozone interest rate cut expectations rise as inflation hits 2.4% in April
Services, food and tobacco were the top offenders spurring on price increases, while the heat came out of the energy market as tensions continue to simmer in the Middle East.
Evening Standard
OPINION - Rachel Reeves' Hammersmith Bridge vow shows Labour's conundrum
The shadow chancellor appeared on the radio this morning and, when asked about a crumbling corner of the public realm, agreed it was bad and said a Labour government would fix it. Now, Reeves was referring to Hammersmith Bridge, which for £250m might be able to transport cars across the Thames in five years' time. It's just that there is a fundamental tension between its central critique of the Conservatives (Liz Truss plus they have overseen a collapse in the public realm) and the core Tory attack (that Labour governments cannot be trusted to run the economy).
The Independent
Hunt attacks Starmer for ‘fake news’ as Chancellor hints another National Insurance tax cut – UK politics live
The Chancellor has released a 19-page report accusing the Labour party of digging a £38 billion black hole with Starmer’s campaign pledges
The Telegraph
It’s too soon to cut interest rates, says Bank of England policymaker
It is too soon to cut interest rates without more evidence that pay growth and inflation are really under control, a top Bank of England policymaker has warned.
The Independent
Voters back taxing rich more to help pay for NHS, poll finds – as report shows Sunak wealthier than the King
Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty’s personal wealth surged by more than £120m over past year, Sunday Times Rich List suggests
Herald Scotland
Holidays giant raises prices amid strong demand for summer
The holidays and flights giant's prices have risen amid strong demand
Evening Standard
Rachel Reeves says she'll work with Sadiq Khan to help fix Hammersmith Bridge if Chancellor (but doesn't pledge new cash)
Shadow Chancellor gives most detailed insight yet of what Labour government would mean for London
PA Media: Money
Biggest inflation shock in decades has turned UK into nation of savers – report
Big changes in overall prices remain with us, even though inflation is easing, the Resolution Foundation said.
Business Insider
Chinese shoppers are buying less than they used to — but they're spending on experiences
China's property market was still struggling as April new-home prices fell at their fastest pace in more than nine years.
CityAM
Sunday Times Rich List: Rishi Sunak worth over £650m
Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty are worth more than £650m, the Sunday Times Rich List has revealed.
The Telegraph
Labour tax rises are as sure as night follows day, says Jeremy Hunt
Labour would put up taxes “as sure as night follows day”, Jeremy Hunt will warn on Friday as he sets out the Conservatives’ economic pitch ahead of the election.
Reuters
Bank of England to cut rates in August but June a very close call: Reuters poll
The Bank of England will start bringing down interest rates in August, according to a slim majority of economists polled by Reuters, while only slightly fewer of them predicted a rate cut next month. BoE Governor Andrew Bailey said after last week's monetary policy meeting that policymakers needed to see more evidence that inflation will stay low but said he was optimistic things were moving in the right direction and did not rule out a June cut. The BoE lifted Bank Rate by a combined 515 basis points from late 2021 to the middle of 2023, taking it to a 16-year high of 5.25% to tackle inflation that peaked at 11.1% in October 2022.
The Independent
Watch: Jeremy Hunt promises tax cuts if Tories win general election
Watch as Jeremy Hunt delivered a speech on Friday, 17 May, promising further tax cuts if the Conservatives win the general election. The chancellor accused Labour of “playground politics” over attacks on the historically-high burden being borne by households and businesses following Sir Keir Starmer’s speech on Thursday. Speaking from London, Mr Hunt to vowed that “taxes will go down under a Conservative government” and has accused his shadow, Labour’s Rachel Reeves, of plotting hikes to fund the opposition party’s spending pledges.
Birmingham Live
DWP targeting one benefit in particular with new bank account checks
DWP boss Mel Stride and Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt have spoken to the Times newspaper confirming they were targeting Universal Credit

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9 houses with great-looking gardens

Portugal jobless rate slips to 6.5% in March

Latest stories

British decline linked to Brexit, weak leadership and poor finances in damning report

Keir Starmer’s plan for government is vanishing before the voters’ eyes

'Gaslighting The Public': Jeremy Hunt's Labour Tax Warning Gets Rinsed On Social Media

Russia may have to hand back Ukrainian territory after the war – to fix its economy

Britain would pay a high price under Labour

Jeremy Hunt Claims Labour Will Put Up Taxes, Apparently Forgetting His Own Legacy

Eurozone interest rate cut expectations rise as inflation hits 2.4% in April

OPINION - Rachel Reeves' Hammersmith Bridge vow shows Labour's conundrum

Hunt attacks Starmer for ‘fake news’ as Chancellor hints another National Insurance tax cut – UK politics live

It’s too soon to cut interest rates, says Bank of England policymaker

Voters back taxing rich more to help pay for NHS, poll finds – as report shows Sunak wealthier than the King

Holidays giant raises prices amid strong demand for summer

Rachel Reeves says she'll work with Sadiq Khan to help fix Hammersmith Bridge if Chancellor (but doesn't pledge new cash)

Biggest inflation shock in decades has turned UK into nation of savers – report

Chinese shoppers are buying less than they used to — but they're spending on experiences

Sunday Times Rich List: Rishi Sunak worth over £650m

Labour tax rises are as sure as night follows day, says Jeremy Hunt

Bank of England to cut rates in August but June a very close call: Reuters poll

Watch: Jeremy Hunt promises tax cuts if Tories win general election

DWP targeting one benefit in particular with new bank account checks