Reeves’ £30bn treasure hunt
Political Fix31 Loka 2025

Reeves’ £30bn treasure hunt

With a month to go until the Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves needs to find a projected £30bn to balance the books. And the forecasts are not in her favour, with the OBR’s bigger than expected productivity downgrade dealing another blow to the Treasury this week. So where will the chancellor find the money – and if Labour have no choice but to break their manifesto tax pledge, where will that leave them with the electorate?


Host George Parker is joined by associate editor and columnist Stephen Bush, chief UK commentator Robert Shrimsley and the FT’s economics editor Sam Fleming.

Follow George: @georgewparker.bsky.social, @GeorgeWParker; Stephen at @stephenkb and Robert @robertshrimsley.bsky.social


Want more?


Reeves faces £20bn hit to public finances from productivity downgrade


Keir Starmer puts Labour MPs on notice for Budget tax rises


Starmer refuses to stand by manifesto tax pledge


Letting agent admits mistake in Reeves’ rental tax row


Sign up here for Stephen Bush's morning newsletter Inside Politics for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue (mostly) in cheek analysis. Get 30 days free.


Plus, the FT is hosting a live webinar on November 28 on what the UK Budget will mean for your money. You can put questions to FT journalists Claer Barrett, Stuart Kirk, Tej Parikh and special guest, tax expert Dan Neidle. Get your free pass now at ft.com/budgetwebinar.


Our email address is politicalfix@ft.com


Political Fix was presented by George Parker and produced by Lulu Smyth. The executive producer is Flo Phillips. Original music and mix by Breen Turner. The video engineers are Bianca Wakeman and Petros Gioumpasis. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Manuela Saragosa.


Clip from BBC


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(573)

Trump’s trade war: trouble ahead for Britain

Trump’s trade war: trouble ahead for Britain

Donald Trump has shaken up the global economy with his seismic new tariffs this week. UK exports to the US will now face a 10 per cent levy – less than many other countries, but still a major headache...

4 Huhti 202538min

Doom, gloom and not much headroom: Spring Statement

Doom, gloom and not much headroom: Spring Statement

Rachel Reeves was forced to slash spending to balance the books in her Spring Statement this week. Welfare spending will be cut more deeply than initially trailed, prompting warnings that 250,000 peop...

28 Maalis 202538min

Austerity redux? Spring Statement lookahead

Austerity redux? Spring Statement lookahead

It’s crunch time for chancellor Rachel Reeves next Wednesday, when she will present her Spring Statement to parliament. Downgraded growth forecasts and deep spending cuts to unprotected departments lo...

21 Maalis 202544min

Starmer’s ‘Project Chainsaw’: the NHS, Whitehall, welfare

Starmer’s ‘Project Chainsaw’: the NHS, Whitehall, welfare

“The world’s largest quango is scrapped” – that’s how the government framed the abolition of the NHS management body this week. It was the latest target in Sir Keir Starmer’s so-called ‘Project Chains...

14 Maalis 202547min

Will Starmer sink or swim in Trump’s world?

Will Starmer sink or swim in Trump’s world?

Sir Keir Starmer has won plaudits from across the political spectrum for his handling of the rapidly growing rift between the US, Europe and Ukraine – but can the UK prime minister sustain this diplom...

7 Maalis 202534min

The Starmer-Trump love-in

The Starmer-Trump love-in

Donald Trump showered praise on Keir Starmer during the UK prime minister’s visit to the White House this week, describing him as ‘special’, a ‘beautiful man’ and a ‘tough negotiator’. Host Lucy Fishe...

28 Helmi 202540min

‘America is now an adversary’

‘America is now an adversary’

The future of Ukraine and the defence of Europe will dominate when Keir Starmer jets out to the White House for talks with Donald Trump next week. Can the UK prime minister help save 80 years of Pax A...

21 Helmi 202543min

The right to die: who should have the final say?

The right to die: who should have the final say?

The bitter and emotional wrangling over the assisted dying bill reached new heights in parliament this week, following proposed changes to a key safeguard. Is it a sensible efficiency to remove the ne...

14 Helmi 202536min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

aikalisa
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
tervo-halme
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
politiikan-puskaradio
viisupodi
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
otetaan-yhdet
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
rss-asiastudio
rss-podme-livebox
the-ulkopolitist
rss-kaikki-uusiksi
rss-tekkipodi
io-techin-tekniikkapodcast
rikosmyytit
rss-mina-ukkola
rss-fingo-podcast
rss-hyvaa-huomenta-bryssel
rss-kuka-mina-olen