Tensions grow over UK government plan to cut welfare payments

Starmer to drive through welfare cuts that could affect UK’s most severely disabled

PM faces backlash over plans to tighten eligibility, potentially leaving more than 600,000 claimants £675 a month worse off. Keir Starmer is to defy growing anger by driving through welfare cuts ...

The Guardian - 1d

Starmer suffers cabinet uprising over UK spending cuts

Opposition grows to plans in areas such as welfare but prime minister insists he will not bend rules to allow more borrowing

Financial Times - 4d

Keir Starmer defends planned welfare cuts to anxious Labour MPs

Prime minister wants to reform disability benefit payments to help fund greater spending on defence

Financial Times - Mar. 10

UK ministers to drop plan to freeze key disability benefit

Decision on personal independence payments comes ahead of government paper setting out wider reforms on Tuesday

Financial Times - 1d

Rising mental ill health behind higher welfare bill, report says

The government is identifying cuts to the welfare budget ahead of the Spring Statement, with the PM working to rally MPs to support the move.

BBC News - 5d

Government’s employment reforms clash with its welfare plans

Jobs market policies could threaten the part-time vacancies that ease people back into work

Financial Times - 6d

UK’s devolved governments can learn from each other on welfare reform

There is no reason why the four countries can’t share information to see which approach is working

Financial Times - 1d

Protesters block main state Serbian TV building as tensions soar ahead of a planned large rally

Several hundred students have blocked Serbia’s public television station building in Belgrade as tensions soar in the Balkan country days ahead of a planned large rally billed as an endgame in ...

ABC News - Mar. 11

UK Treasury to review under-fire Financial Ombudsman Service

Announcement of probe comes as government sets out ‘radical action plan’ to cut regulation and red tape

Financial Times - 19h

Could Starmer be in for a benefits rebellion as tribes clash in his own party?

Labour may have ditched its factional in-fighting - but deep welfare cuts could reignite tensions.

BBC News - 2d

1mn fewer people to secure health benefits under UK welfare reform

Government measures require a Commons vote that could provoke a rebellion by Labour MPs

Financial Times - 17h

How to stop the fruitless search for welfare savings

Governments chase illusory short-term cuts when what’s needed are routes back into lasting employment

Financial Times - Mar. 8

Starmer axes UK payments watchdog as part of anti-regulation drive

Government says regulator’s merger with Financial Conduct Authority will reduce complexity and boost innovation

Financial Times - 6d

UK social safety net among weakest in rich world, analysis finds

Think-tank report comes as Keir Starmer seeks to convince Labour MPs to back welfare spending cuts

Financial Times - 5d

Chagos Islanders seek to take UK government to court over deal with Mauritius

Two women born on the Chagos Islands are seeking to take the British government to court over a proposed deal to transfer sovereignty of the disputed Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius

ABC News - 1d

Does cutting benefits actually work?

The government is to set out details of how it will save billions of pounds from the working welfare bill.

BBC News - 3d

House Republicans unveil spending plan with government shutdown deadline set for Friday

Republicans in the House released a stopgap spending plan over the weekend that would delay a government shutdown for at least six months, but it's unclear if they have the votes to pass the ...

CBS News - Mar. 10

Is The Government Backing Down Over Benefits?

Plans to freeze some disability benefits could be abandoned.

BBC News - 1d

Plan to freeze key disability benefit may be dropped

Many usually loyal Labour MPs had voiced strong opposition to the idea of not increasing PIP in line with inflation, as part of expected welfare cuts.

BBC News - 2d

Rachel Reeves insists changes to welfare needed

Labour MPs have been expressing unease about the proposed cuts to welfare, ahead of announcements next week.

BBC News - 3d

House GOP seeks spending cuts, defense increases in plan to avert shutdown

House Republicans on Saturday unveiled a six-month stopgap government funding plan, that seeks cuts to nondefense programs while boosting funding for defense. The bill's rollout kicks off a crucial ...

The Hill - Mar. 8

Here's what is in the House GOP's plan to avoid a partial government shutdown

Another government shutdown is looming. If there's no deal by Friday, there will be a partial shutdown with major implications from military paychecks to air travel. Over the weekend, House ...

CBS News - Mar. 10

Apple's row with UK government over customer data to be heard in secret

The BBC understands the dispute over accessing encrypted data is set to be heard at the High Court.

BBC News - 5d

House GOP budget plan would cut domestic spending by $13 billion

House Speaker Mike Johnson has unveiled his plan to avert a government shutdown by Friday night. The short-term stopgap bill would fund the government until Sept. 30, increase defense spending by ...

CBS News - Mar. 10

‘Gut punch’: Democrats decry Trump's plan to cut 80,000 at Veterans Affairs

Democrat lawmakers and veterans' groups are fuming over the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) plans to cut roughly 80,000 employees in the coming months, decrying the lack of transparency and ...

The Hill - Mar. 9

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center facility among planned DOGE cuts

A core government facility tracking severe thunderstorms and tornadoes is listed on the DOGE website as a planned office closure.

ABC News - 1h

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

Plus: is Reform UK imploding?

Financial Times - 3d

Reeves meeting regulators in drive to cut red tape

The chancellor will unveil plans to cut bureaucracy as the government continues its bid to slash red tape.

BBC News - 22h

Turkey and Israel face mounting tensions over future of post-Assad Syria

The fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government has aggravated the already tense relations between Turkey and Israel, with their conflicting interests in Syria pushing the relationship ...

ABC News - 3d

Rayner and Cooper criticised cuts in ‘tense’ UK cabinet meeting

‘Large minority’ of ministers protested about planned spending reductions in their own departments

Financial Times - 3d

Fed likely to pause rate cuts with clouds gathering over the economy

The Federal Reserve is unlikely to cut interest rates this week despite growing concern about the state of the U.S. economy and the impact of President Trump’s trade agenda. Markets are expecting ...

The Hill - 1h

Trump’s Clash With Maine Gov. Janet Mills Fuels Tensions Across State

Funding cuts, a censured lawmaker, citizen protests: The state has had a bumpy month since Gov. Janet Mills tangled with President Trump over transgender athletes.

The New York Times - 3d

FCA drops plan to ‘name and shame’ more UK companies under investigation

Financial regulator says it will scrap new public interest test after backlash from the City and government officials

Financial Times - 6d

Reeves to outline plan to cut regulation costs and boost growth

Chancellor will meet regulators after calling for action to restrict their scope in bid to save businesses billions. Rachel Reeves will meet UK regulators on Monday after calling for more action to ...

The Guardian - 1d

Trump, Johnson on Rep. Massie's stance against plan to avoid government shutdown

President Trump is slamming Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie over his position on the continuing resolution to keep the government funded. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson says he will have enough ...

CBS News - 6d

What went wrong with the UK’s welfare system?

Factors behind sharp rise in incapacity and disability benefits are complex and at times counterintuitive

Financial Times - 2d

U.S. stocks fall as recession fears grow

The Dow Jones shed nearly 900 points on Monday as tariffs, mounting federal layoffs and consumer confidence started to weigh on the economy. Adding to the chaos is the potential for another ...

CBS News - Mar. 10