EXC: Minister takes aim at the country's largest leasehold management company as the government prepares to almost entirely scrap the system altogether. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

This post by @samfr.bsky.social on the new book by @robfordmancs.bsky.social, @timbale.bsky.social, @drjennings.bsky.social and @psurridge.bsky.social is as good as everyone says. Especially this point busting the myth of the Red Wall and the "hero voter". samf.substack.com/p/six-lesson...

**FT GRAD SCHEME** applications are now open. Incredible opportunity for young wannabe hacks. Spread the word: job-boards.greenhouse.io/financialtim...

BREAKING: Richard Hughes resigns as head of the OBR. obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...

What were journalists told about the budget and when? @pippacrerar.bsky.social reveal all in this week's episode of Politics Weekly. Also featuring bonus Your Party content. www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

Rachel Reeves gambles on tax and spend. But has she forgotten the "squeezed middle"? Listen to me, @pippacrerar.bsky.social and @johnharris1969.bsky.social chew over today's budget here. www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

Not to be pernickety here, but didn't the chancellor make a mistake with her very first word of the budget (and several times afterwards)?

If you're wondering how relations are between the govt and the OBR after this morning's budget leak, a govt source has just sent this out about the EV tax.

Rachel Reeves can count herself (at least a bit) lucky. OBR productivity downgrade would have knocked £16 billion off tax receipts. But she was saved by £32 billion of *extra* receipts from higher inflation and a shift to more tax-rich growth (lower profits, higher wages).

Grist to @jim.londoncentric.media’s theory that this will never happen: The govt has timed its pension tax rise so it will have almost all its impact in the vital final year of the fiscal forecast.

As expected, and as the IMF recommended, Reeves says the OBR will now only assess the public finances against the fiscal rules once a year, at the Budget - to avoid the kind of mad scramble ahead of the Spring statement that led to the botched welfare reforms.

💥 Govt says fuel duty to *go up* from next September. In the past the OBR has assumed that fuel duty would start to rise after a one-year freeze. This time, the govt has said explicitly that it will only be frozen for five months, and will start increasing it after that.

Public service journalism for anyone on a salary sacrifice pension scheme...

Here is the smorgasbord in full. Removing tax benefits from salary sacrifice pension schemes raises a whopping £4.7bn.

Removing the two-child benefit cap will cost £3bn and the average benefit to families will be £5,450 a year.

Government's employment support scheme will not make any difference to growth, says the OBR.

Absolutely extraordinary - this seems to be the OBR's entire economic outlook, posted half an hour before the chancelor stands up: obr.uk/docs/dlm_upl...

Great story by @pickardje.bsky.social and @rachelmillard.bsky.social Rachel Reeves drops a plan to remove VAT from energy bills, decides only to remove levies. Makes it much cheaper for the govt, but limits how much will be knocked off bills. www.ft.com/content/82f0...

Very nice that our podcast has been nominated for two of these awards. Well done to the brilliant team including @pippacrerar.bsky.social @johnharris1969.bsky.social @zoehitch.bsky.social @frankietobi.bsky.social and Maz Ebtehaj. x.com/iNHouseComms...

The only thing that can defeat parliament’s new extra high security fence.

To all the people who love to explain that this is not in fact a make or break budget, you're wrong. Hopefully this week's episode will show why.

Yes, it's the latest Politics Weekly UK, a rich & questioning chatfest with me, @kiranstacey.bsky.social, @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social & @rafaelbehr.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/p...

BREAKING: UK defence secretary says a Russian spy ship called Yantar has entered British waters off the Scottish coast and is mapping undersea cables. "If the Yantar travels south this week, we are ready."

@kiranstacey.bsky.social makes the interesting point that this is mainly about making the UK less appealing than France. Made me think - what if the far right in France gets in? Is the UK going to strive to be nastier to migrants than the National Rally?

🚨This week's pod with @pippacrerar.bsky.social: - Where are the pitfalls for Shabana Mahmood's asylum reforms - Decoding Treasury spin on the budget - Who might challenge Starmer's leadership, and when? www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

🚨 Labour’s risky asylum pitch... In our latest podcast @kiranstacey.bsky.social & I look at home secretary Shabana Mahmood's plans to tackle the ‘out of control’ asylum system - and how they're likely to go down with MPs and the public... www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

Some things to bear in mind about these late changes to the budget: 1) Govt sources say the forecasts changed. But the only new thing they learned this week was the OBR's assessment of their own plans. Maybe the OBR said their tax rises would raise more than expected?

EXC: Govt to cut heat pump funding to get energy bills down. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Something about this morning's stories reminded me of Gordon Brown's No 10. And then I remembered this passage from Damian McBride:

🚨Our latest podcast. Join me and @kiranstacey.bsky.social as we chew over BBC resignations, how No 10 is handling the budget and growing unease within Labour ranks about Keir Starmer’s leadership... www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

🔥 The row between Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana gets even more bitter tonight as the two row over hundreds of thousands of pounds’ worth of donations. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

EXC: Rachel Reeves plans cuts to home energy efficiency schemes to pay for bills to be reduced. Energy industry warns of “disastrous” consequences in the long term. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Our story tonight from @kiranstacey.bsky.social me and @guardianheather.bsky.social Reeves is understood to be nervous about the consequences of such a major abandonment of the party’s pledges. But it would insulate against this rollercoaster of black holes www.theguardian.com/money/2025/o...

Exc - Rachel Reeves is considering raising income tax at next month’s budget to help reduce a multibillion pound shortfall, sources have told the Guardian. Very live discussion in the Treasury and No10 as debate rages over how to give biggest possible buffer www.theguardian.com/money/2025/o...

EXC: Rachel Reeves considering doing the unthinkable at the budget - and raising income tax. Story by me, @jessicaelgot.bsky.social and @guardianheather.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/money/2025/o...

EXC: Mark Sedwill's chances of becoming Washington ambassador have been knocked, as officials fret over an article he wrote in 2021 criticising Donald Trump. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

At least 3 or 4 years ago there was a scandal about lack of funding for an arts venue in Salisbury. In response, the council spokesperson said direct to camera 'Wiltshire council is an adult social care provider'.

EXC: English councils will still be poorer in 2029 than they were in 2010, according to the IfG. Report finds councils are increasingly providing social care and little else. Libraries, youth services, parks, all falling by the wayside. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

This is fascinating by @chrisgiles.ft.com. What if the massive rise in people claiming out of work benefits is actually because we've raised the state pension age? www.ft.com/content/ee67...

Really interesting interview by Sally Weale with Bridget Phillipson, taking aim at the reams of unverified, un-evidenced parenting advice on social media. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

EXC: Over a dozen Labour MPs call on Rachel Reeves to *scrap* council tax in her budget. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

US and Israeli officials say UK had nothing to do with the Gaza peace deal. British officials insist they did - and point to similarities with the Good Friday Agreement as evidence. So who is right? My analysis here: www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

EXC: Starmer accused of pushing progressives out as No 10 shake up continues. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

EXC: Bridget Phillipson tells the Guardian's Politics Weekly podcast that the govt should ditch the two-child benefit cap in full, not only in part. Read here: theguardian.com/politics/202... And listen here: www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

Whoops! Seems the ONS has overestimated govt borrowing by £3bn. Rare bit of good news for Rachel Reeves. Story by @guardianheather.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/business/202...

EXC: Rachel Reeves will announce more changes to the planning system before the budget. But ministers are rowing about how far to go on this major part of govt policy. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

EXC: BBC bosses looking to tap defence budget to pay for the world service. Story with @michaelsavage.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/media/2025/o...

EXCL: Rachel Reeves is set to lift the two-child benefit limit in the budget with officials exploring options of a new tapered system. The Treasury is exploring if it might instead be limited to three or four children – or whether there could be a tapered rate. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

A reminder about tomorrow's live Politics Weekly podcast recording with Andy Burnham in Liverpool. If you're here for Labour conference, or are just local and have an interest in politics, make sure you come along - no booking needed!

Monday 2-3 along with @uclpolicylab.bsky.social we'll also be hosting @theguardian.com politics weekly with @pippacrerar.bsky.social and @kiranstacey.bsky.social as they hold an in conversation with @andyburnham.bsky.social