Rachel Reeves faces having to raise taxes or cut spending if President Trump follows through on his threat to impose tariffs on Britain next week, the official budget watchdog has warned. The chancellor was forced to announce a £14 billion package of cuts to repair the public finances in her spring statement after the Office for Budget Responsibility halved growth forecasts. But the budget watchdog warned that there was a 50 per cent chance that Reeves would be forced to return with further cuts or tax rises as soon as October amid concerns that the UK’s economic outlook will deteriorate still further. • The spring statement in full: who are the winners and losers? It said that Reeves’s decision to leave herself with a “tiny”

Britain's finance minister Rachel Reeves is set to detail billions of pounds of spending cuts in her Spring Statement on Wednesday to address the country's ailing public finances.The spending update comes as the Labour government, elected in July after a landslide election win, faces sluggish economic growth and rising borrowing costs.In a glimmer of good news, Britain's annual inflation rate eased to 2.8 percent in February, down from 3.0 percent in January, according to the Office for National Statistics.But despite the slowdown, inflation remains elevated above the Bank of England's two percent target. The central bank kept interest rates unchanged last week after a series of cuts, warning of "economic uncertainty".Reeves has warned that since her inaugural budget in October, "the world has changed. "Heightened global uncertainty over US tariffs and the war in Ukraine have added to the UK's economic woes, chipping away at the Labour government's £9.9 billion ($12.8 billion) fiscal cushion.Prime Minister Keir Starmer has recently pledged to hike spending on defence, with the government announcing late Tuesday a £2.2 billion boost next year. "This moment demands an active government stepping up to secure Britain's future," Reeves said in a press statement ahead of the fiscal update.An advocate of iron discipline over public finances, Reeves is set to detail cuts to welfare payments and government departmental budgets in Wednesday's highly-anticipated update.An accompanying forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility, the country's spending watchdog, is expected to paint a gloomy picture of the outlook for the UK economy. "The Chancellor (Rachel Reeves) is unlikely to announce much today that will help quell the fears around the UK economy," commented Lindsay James, investment strategist at wealth management firm Quilter.

The Irish Times assembled a panel of 60 experts – authors, critics, academics, festival curators, booksellers and journalists – to decide the best Irish novels and short story collections of the years 2000-2025. The result was a ranked list of 100 works of fiction, with Milkman by Anna Burns (2018) decided as the best Irish book of the 21st century. With almost 2,000 votes cast, Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (2021) was chosen by readers as the best book. Although the expert panel favoured Milkman, Keegan’s haunting story of institutional abuse by the Catholic Church was not far behind in fourth place. To determine the best books of the 21st century so far, our experts initially each submitted 50 favourites.

Censors’ decision disappointing and heartbreaking: SuriSantosh, the UK’s official entry in the Oscars’ international feature category and a Bafta nominee for best debut feature, has been blocked by Indian film censors, according to a report in UK daily Guardian.Written and directed by British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri , the film was made in India and is in Hindi. According to the Guardian report, Central Board of Film Certification refused to clear the film over concerns about its negative portrayal of police — “depicting deep-rooted misogyny, discrimination against Dalits and the normalisation of mistreatment and torture by police officers.”Several CBFC board members TOI spoke to said they were unaware of reasons behind uncertainty over the release in India. Only the chairman is privy to the board’s day-to-day functioning.” Other board members declined to comment, saying only CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi would speak on the issue. Only an insecure society censors art in any form Art, creativity, and literature form the soup that nourishes society. But in the end it was just too difficult to make those cuts and have a film that still made sense, let alone stayed true to its vision,” the Guardian report quoted Suri as saying.

SO, after all the days of spin and expectation management, what is the verdict on the Chancellor’s Spring Statement? Spring Statement - key points KEY announcements from the Spring Statement: No new tax rises : The Chancellor ruled out further tax hikes and pledged to crack down on tax avoidance, aiming to raise an extra £1bn. And firms were not given any concessions in the Spring Statement either, despite their pleading. What is the Spring Statement? By Ryan Sabey, Deputy Political Editor: Rachel Reeves is delivering the Spring Statement - nearly fifty years after the first such "mini-Budget" was delivered.

Some of the street furniture, the backless benches in particular, have been hit with criticism and inspired bemused reactions, with some online likening them to ‘cheese graters’. Wiltshire Council has previously confirmed the benches were provided by two British companies: the backless Zadig benches by All Urban, and the more traditional, backed benches by Artform Urban Furniture. A Google Street view shot from May 2019 shows the benches installed on the Rue du Midi, occupied by several pedestrians. Google Street View shot of the benches from May 2019. SEE ALSO: Controversial street furniture in Trowbridge cost £55k“The shape is rendered in steel while the motif pattern accentuates the aesthetics of the design.

The trio are among 100 places named in the annual 'Best Places to Stay in the UK' list by The Times, which is put together by a team of 'experienced reviewers' who stay at 'hundreds of properties' across the country. The Bull in Burford, which opened in 2023, won 'best romantic hotel'. The Bull in Charlbury was ranked fifth in the list, described as 'like the pitch for a bromance movie'. The Bull in Charlbury (Image: The Bull Charlbury) Estelle Manor outside of Oxford, which opened in 2023, was ranked sixth. The Times said whittling down the 'long list' is 'always tough' and the high standards this year 'caused some headaches' in the decision-making.

British authorities issued a record fine against one of the country’s universities on Wednesday for issues including failing to “uphold the freedom of speech and academic freedom” in a policy statement on transgender equality, an escalation in the debate over student and staff rights on campus. The Office for Students, the regulator for higher education in England, imposed a penalty of 585,000 pounds, more than $755,000, on the University of Sussex. The fine from the regulator, the Office for Students, comes amid fraught conversations about both trans rights and free speech on campuses in the United States and Britain, with many universities trying to balance the right of free expression with preventing hate speech. Dr. Stock quit in 2021 after she was accused of being transphobic by students and activists for arguing that transgender women were not women. She said she faced a campaign of harassment, bullying and character assassination before quitting.

The security leak involving some of America’s most senior officials and their military plans, shocked the world earlier this week. Professor Oli Buckley, an expert in cyber security whose research has a strong focus on the human aspects of security, explains how even the most secure technology can’t protect against user error. However, even the most secure tool can’t protect against user error, like adding the wrong participant to a sensitive conversation. “The real risk here is not about Signal’s encryption, but about how easily human mistakes can undermine even the best technical safeguards. It’s a powerful reminder that security isn’t just technical, it’s procedural, cultural, and deeply human.”To arrange an interview with Professor Buckley, email publicrelations@lboro.ac.uk.

Rachel Reeves said the government’s view on the digital services tax has not changed after speculation the levy may be dropped to avoid Trump tariffs. She told a press conference on Wednesday: “We believe that companies should pay tax in the countries in which they operate, which is why we introduced a digital services tax in the first place — and our views on that have not changed.”Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform, told Times Radio’s John Pienaar that the numbers that Labour produced it its spring statement are “delusional” and that the UK is “heading towards a recession”. Citing his experience as a businessman, he added that the numbers “are ludicrous”. The former chairman of Reform also dismissed mental health issues

“A free media is one that will and does make mistakes” but at its best “it is a cornerstone of our democracy”, Charles said in a statement ahead of a reception for regional UK media workers at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. The King and Queen will host 400 guests from various UK news organisations to show support for local journalism. “Your reporting, and the work of all those who support you, helps amplify and reaffirm the rights and responsibilities we all share. “It shines a light in dark corners, exposing injustice and wrongdoing.”He added: “Above all, it helps strengthen our communities, in times of joy and at moments of sorrow. A free media is one that will and does make mistakes.

Last month, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that military spending would rise to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2027, which would be paid for by cutting overseas aid. On Wednesday, Ms. Reeves reiterated recently announced reductions to the benefits system, alongside a few other changes, that would save about £5 billion by 2030. The changes come as President Trump’s economic policies have disrupted the global economy, putting more demands on the British government’s already stretched budget. Like many other European countries, Britain has pledged to spend more on defense to support Ukraine in its war with Russia. At the same time, the threat of a global trade war is lurking and interest rates have increased, pushing up government borrowing costs.

St Mary’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Chief Financial Officer Richard Solomon and Benilde Vice-Chancellor for Academics Angelo Marco Lacson. Founded in 1850, St Mary's is known for its student-centered, career-focused approach, and a diverse community of more than 5,500 learners. Solomon, accompanied by Project Manager for Partnership Development Joey Oliva, underscored the cohesive moral standards and educational principles of St Mary's and Benilde. Benilde Vice-Chancellor for Academics Angelo Marco Lacson said, "This isn't just a formality. Benilde and St Mary's will embark on a journey of academic collaboration that transcends borders.

Lauren Goodger sparked rumours of a reunion with her ex Charles Drury on TikTok on Tuesday - three years after their assault drama. The former couple, who share four-year-old daughter Larose, both joined a TikTok Live along with TOWIE co-stars Junaid Ahmed and Joe Blackman as they all chatted away. Last year Lauren opened up about the struggles she's faced co-parenting with Charles. Charles was then charged with assault and engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour towards Lauren, which he has denied. 'I've got Larose and obviously thank god I've got her, she's my little best friend but I also need someone to lean on.

CHENNAI: Ashok Leyland subsidiary Switch Mobility UK is considering ceasing production at its Sherburn UK facility due to sluggish sales. Instead, Switch will “double down on India” where it is doing very well.It will also focus more on production from India and the UAE to cater to the UK and European markets in the future. This seems to be the right time to cut down losses in the UK market.”On the other hand, the EV bus market in India is doing exceptionally well. The current cash flow requirements of Switch UK will be borne out of the 45 million pound equity infusion already approved by the board of Ashok Leyland in February this year.”Switch India “is doing much better than expected and should not require significant equity infusion in near future. On an overall basis the value accretion from Switch EV business is expected to be much more than the investments made in these entities,” he explained.