Impact of Brexit on UK economy even worse than critics predicted, says chancellor – UK politics live

<p>Rachel Reeves also highlights austerity and lack of capital spending as key harms to UK economy</p><p>Labour is spending significantly more on levelling up projects than previous Conservative government, new research suggests.</p><p>In <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2025/10/exclusive-starmer-outspends-johnson-on-levelling-up-in-first-year">a New Statesman article</a>, <strong>Anoosh Chakelian</strong> reports on figures produced by the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods thinktank that show that Keir Starmer has spent more on levelling up projects in his first year than any of his Tory predecessors did in the same timescale. Chakelian says:</p><p>In its first year in office, Keir Starmer’s government has invested £2bn more than Johnson did in his first year – with £4.5bn allocated to regional investment programmes in Labour’s first year compared with £2.5bn spent in the equivalent period under Johnson – according to new analysis by the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods.</p><p>Investment in the North East will be seven times higher than under Johnson, and five times higher in the North West and Yorkshire and Humber by the end of the Parliament, based on current trends identified in this analysis of 46 government programmes and funds.</p><p>Lab, Con &amp; LibDems today all agreed the decision by Weds Mids police to ban the Jewish fans is wrong, disgraceful etc, but nothing they can do because ‘operational independence’. Only Reform UK will change the law to put the police under the control of elected politicians.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/oct/21/rachel-reeves-economy-starmer-labour-streeting-sentencing-bill-uk-politics-live-news-updates">Continue reading...</a>