The one area of government spending where there is political (if not necessarily fiscal) headroom to increase. Quite depressing really.

Labour aims to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP theguardian.com/politics/2024/…

UK takes another step on path to exit recession as GDP rises by 0.1% in February.

After revised growth of 0.3% in January, one more month of expansion is required to escape the technical definition of recession: theguardian.com/business/2024/…

Central banks must resist political pressure for early rate cuts, says IMF head theguardian.com/business/2024/…

Aggressive use of industrial policy risks expensive trade wars, IMF warns theguardian.com/business/2024/…

A possible bump coming down the (farm) track for inflation? So far the FAO food price index is markedly down. But this could suggest the outlook isn't great...

Farmers warn ‘crisis is building’ as record rainfall drastically reduces UK food production theguardian.com/environment/20…

Senior Labour figures call for return of ‘life-transforming’ policy theguardian.com/education/2024…

Right wing papers: councils are incompetent. Also right wing papers: don’t offer higher pay to attract competent staff.

Another finger in the damn argument in the councils crisis. TPA report highlighting c£3m of staff costs. While real-terms funding is £7bn+ lower than in 2010

Labour to launch £5bn crackdown on loophole to close gap in spending plans theguardian.com/business/2024/…

Insightful article by Richard Partington on the absurdity of how properties are banded for council tax (esp. in England) & how multi-million £ properties pay significantly less as a proportion of the property’s value in council tax because of 1991 legislation👇🏻 theguardian.com/money/2024/apr…

Mocking the Abrdn name is ‘corporate bullying’, says chief investment officer theguardian.com/business/2024/…

Insurers accused of using ‘excessive excesses’ to disguise car cover costs theguardian.com/money/2024/apr…

UK rent rises forecast to outpace wage growth for three years theguardian.com/society/2024/a…

A must-read piece of analysis from ⁦Richard Partington⁩. “With councils across England in financial crisis after years of central government austerity, calls are growing to reform council tax.” theguardian.com/money/2024/apr…

Rise in UK minimum wage leaves millions short of real living wage theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/a…

Can this ‘ethical capitalist’ solve the UK’s social housing crisis? theguardian.com/business/2024/…

Party to lose almost 1,000 years of Commons experience when MPs quit theguardian.com/politics/2024/…

Exc: Tory MP faces lobbying questions over Treasury committee role - with ⁦Kalyeena Makortoff⁩ theguardian.com/business/2024/…