Articles by Richard Partington Senior economics correspondent

Politics

‘Out of touch’ hereditary peers criticised for voting against workers’ rights

Lords look ‘undemocratic and firmly against interest of working people’, say senior trade union and Labour figures

2 days ago

Business

UK budget watchdog in danger of strangling economic growth, says TUC boss

Paul Nowak says OBR should be modernised to ditch ‘hardwired’ support for austerity economics

5 days ago

World

Half of all UK jobs shed since Labour came to power are among under-25s

Exclusive: David Blunkett warns Keir Starmer Britain’s youth are in danger of becoming ‘lost generation’ on his watch

6 days ago

Technology

AI, Covid and taxes: what is behind steep rise in youth unemployment?

Last year’s employer NICs increase and a weak economy are adding to tricky conditions for young people

6 days ago

Politics

Reeves’s plan to ditch income tax rise prompts government bond sell-off

Switch in budget plan causes cost of UK government borrowing to rise by the most in a single day since early July

6 days ago

Technology

ONS plans to scrap reports on health and crime to improve quality of data

UK’s statistics agency announces ‘recovery’ plan after concerns raised over reliability of its data

Nov 12, 2025

Business

UK unemployment rises to 5%, the highest level in four years

ONS says jobs market worsening before budget, as HMRC reports falling number of workers on firms’ payrolls

Nov 11, 2025

Business

Billionaire Tory donor gives £200,000 to Reform UK

JCB chair Lord Bamford hands equal amount to Tories and Reform to support parties he says ‘believe in small business’

Nov 10, 2025

Business

Fixing Britain’s worklessness crisis will cost employers £6bn a year, report says

The Keep Britain Working review, created to tackle the rising tide of ill health pushing millions out of work, reported its findings ahead of this month’s budget

Nov 5, 2025

Politics

Reeves says economic damage caused by Brexit forcing her to take action in budget

Chancellor, who is expected to announce tax rises and spending cuts, says effect of leaving bloc worse than predicted

Oct 21, 2025

Labour urged to rethink scrapping minimum wage youth rates amid ‘Neets’ rise

Thinktank fears 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training could be ‘priced out’ of entry-level jobs

Oct 20, 2025

Politics

Rachel Reeves set to launch ‘blitz on business bureaucracy’ to save firms £6bn

Chancellor to tell business leaders at government’s first regional investment summit she plans to ‘cut pointless admin’

Oct 20, 2025

Rachel Reeves should consider welfare cuts in budget, IFS says

Thinktank urges chancellor to take ‘bold’ action on benefits and pensions to placate jittery financial markets

Oct 16, 2025

Business

UK labour market shows signs of stabilising after job losses

Unemployment rate rises slightly to 4.8% but ONS says falls in payroll numbers and vacancies are levelling off

Oct 14, 2025

Politics

Rachel Reeves could raise £45bn in taxes and keep promises, report says

Chancellor has ways to cover UK deficit without breaching spirit of Labour manifesto, Morgan Stanley claims

Oct 2, 2025