Richard Partington
@rjpartington.bsky.social
Guardian Senior Economics Correspondent
Reposted by Richard Partington
NEW - the government poised to water down flagship workers rights bill, ditching day one rights to unfair dismissal but reducing qualifying period from two years to six months.
But in concession to unions, government will remove provisions for up to nine months probation.
But in concession to unions, government will remove provisions for up to nine months probation.
November 27, 2025 at 4:57 PM
NEW - the government poised to water down flagship workers rights bill, ditching day one rights to unfair dismissal but reducing qualifying period from two years to six months.
But in concession to unions, government will remove provisions for up to nine months probation.
But in concession to unions, government will remove provisions for up to nine months probation.
Rachel Reeves has positioned Labour to fight the next general election with tax increases and spending cuts that resemble a work of “fiscal fiction”, the IFS warns - www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Budget tax rises may be ‘fiscal fiction’ as pain delayed for election year, IFS warns
Thinktank predicts backloading may force Labour to abandon tax rises or spending cuts
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Rachel Reeves has positioned Labour to fight the next general election with tax increases and spending cuts that resemble a work of “fiscal fiction”, the IFS warns - www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Richard Partington
Richard Hughes tells Res Foundation he will go, if leak inquiry means Reeves + Meg Hillier think he should: "If they both conclude...they no longer have confidence in me then of course I will resign, which is what you do when you're the chair of something called the Office of Budget Responsibility".
November 27, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Richard Hughes tells Res Foundation he will go, if leak inquiry means Reeves + Meg Hillier think he should: "If they both conclude...they no longer have confidence in me then of course I will resign, which is what you do when you're the chair of something called the Office of Budget Responsibility".
OBR chair ‘mortified’ by budget leak as ex-cybersecurity chief called in to investigate
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
OBR chair ‘mortified’ by budget leak as ex-cybersecurity chief called in to investigate
Richard Hughes, head of Office for Budget Responsibility, says he has apologised to chancellor for ‘letting people down’
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:33 AM
OBR chair ‘mortified’ by budget leak as ex-cybersecurity chief called in to investigate
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
How Rachel Reeves’s budget was leaked 40 minutes early - “by someone… no doubt in the middle of the worst day of their working life.”
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
How Rachel Reeves’s budget was leaked 40 minutes early
By the time the chancellor reached the dispatch box, the OBR had accidentally published its verdict in full online
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:18 PM
How Rachel Reeves’s budget was leaked 40 minutes early - “by someone… no doubt in the middle of the worst day of their working life.”
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Rachel Reeves says budget will cut living costs after shock OBR leak
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Rachel Reeves says budget will cut living costs after shock OBR leak
Chancellor unveils action on energy bills, rail fares and two-child benefit cap as she reveals £26bn tax rises
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Rachel Reeves says budget will cut living costs after shock OBR leak
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Madness!
Budget 2025 live: OBR forecasts leaked before budget and say GDP to grow by 1.5%
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live...
Budget 2025 live: OBR forecasts leaked before budget and say GDP to grow by 1.5%
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live...
Budget 2025 live: OBR forecasts leaked before budget and say GDP to grow by 1.5%
Forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility appear to have leaked before Rachel Reeves gives her statement
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Madness!
Budget 2025 live: OBR forecasts leaked before budget and say GDP to grow by 1.5%
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live...
Budget 2025 live: OBR forecasts leaked before budget and say GDP to grow by 1.5%
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live...
Rachel Reeves’s high-stakes autumn budget in five key charts www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Rachel Reeves’s high-stakes autumn budget in five key charts
Chancellor to set out tax and spending plans shaped by weak productivity, high borrowing costs and cost of living crisis
www.theguardian.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Rachel Reeves’s high-stakes autumn budget in five key charts www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Labour will listen to bosses’ concerns on workers’ rights, says business secretary
Peter Kyle opens the door to businesses at the CBI's annual conference pushing to soften the employment rights bill - www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Peter Kyle opens the door to businesses at the CBI's annual conference pushing to soften the employment rights bill - www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Labour will listen to bosses’ concerns on workers’ rights, says business secretary
Peter Kyle tells CBI conference he will ensure firms do not lose as a result of overhaul
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Labour will listen to bosses’ concerns on workers’ rights, says business secretary
Peter Kyle opens the door to businesses at the CBI's annual conference pushing to soften the employment rights bill - www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Peter Kyle opens the door to businesses at the CBI's annual conference pushing to soften the employment rights bill - www.theguardian.com/business/202...
“It really does intimidate people. Nothing moves the government quicker than the bond market" -
Bond market power: why Rachel Reeves is keen to keep the £2.7tn ‘beast’ onside: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Bond market power: why Rachel Reeves is keen to keep the £2.7tn ‘beast’ onside: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Bond market power: why Rachel Reeves is keen to keep the £2.7tn ‘beast’ onside
Hugely influential traders will be hanging on the chancellor’s every word when she announces her budget
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:45 PM
“It really does intimidate people. Nothing moves the government quicker than the bond market" -
Bond market power: why Rachel Reeves is keen to keep the £2.7tn ‘beast’ onside: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Bond market power: why Rachel Reeves is keen to keep the £2.7tn ‘beast’ onside: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Hereditary peers - including the Duke of Wellington, landed aristocrats and millionaire business chiefs – have been criticised for voting against workers’ rights
Story here: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Story here: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘Out of touch’ hereditary peers criticised for voting against workers’ rights
Trade union leaders and senior Labour figures say the Lords looks ‘undemocratic and firmly against the interest of working people’
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Hereditary peers - including the Duke of Wellington, landed aristocrats and millionaire business chiefs – have been criticised for voting against workers’ rights
Story here: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Story here: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
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
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Paul Nowak says OBR should be modernised to ditch ‘hardwired’ support for austerity economics
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
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
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 11:13 AM
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
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Paul Nowak says OBR should be modernised to ditch ‘hardwired’ support for austerity economics
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
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
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Last year’s employer NICs increase and a weak economy are adding to tricky conditions for young people
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
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
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:45 PM
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
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Last year’s employer NICs increase and a weak economy are adding to tricky conditions for young people
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
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
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Exclusive: David Blunkett warns Keir Starmer Britain’s youth are in danger of becoming ‘lost generation’ on his watch
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
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
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:25 PM
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
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Exclusive: David Blunkett warns Keir Starmer Britain’s youth are in danger of becoming ‘lost generation’ on his watch
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Amid disappointing UK growth, how can Rachel Reeves escape the doom loop? www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Amid disappointing UK growth, how can Rachel Reeves escape the doom loop?
Stronger public finances require stronger economy, but large tax rises and spending cuts could squeeze activity further
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Amid disappointing UK growth, how can Rachel Reeves escape the doom loop? www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Reposted by Richard Partington
Bit of analysis from me - a key upside from busting the manifesto pledges is meant to come in cheaper borrowing, as bond markets buy into the budget. Wesgate makes that much harder, by amplifying fears about whether Reeves/PM can stick around to implement it: www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Labour infighting puts chancellor’s budget plan to reassure bond markets at risk
It was hoped manifesto-breaking tax rises might bring down borrowing costs – but party turbulence is likely to spook investors
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Bit of analysis from me - a key upside from busting the manifesto pledges is meant to come in cheaper borrowing, as bond markets buy into the budget. Wesgate makes that much harder, by amplifying fears about whether Reeves/PM can stick around to implement it: www.theguardian.com/business/202...
UK unemployment rises to highest level in four years before budget
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
UK unemployment rises to highest level in four years before budget
ONS finds worsening slowdown in the jobs market, as HMRC reports falling number of workers on firms’ payrolls
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 7:07 AM
UK unemployment rises to highest level in four years before budget
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
The bond market is wrong. Reeves should not cut welfare to placate the City
- my comment in today's @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/business/202...
- my comment in today's @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/business/202...
The bond market is wrong. Reeves should not cut welfare to placate the City | Richard Partington
Keeping the markets on side is the chancellor’s priority but it’s not an easy task given their simplistic, misplaced views on welfare cuts
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:58 AM
The bond market is wrong. Reeves should not cut welfare to placate the City
- my comment in today's @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/business/202...
- my comment in today's @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/business/202...
‘A job is like finding a needle in a haystack’: how Dudley became centre of UK’s youth jobs crisis -
My feature from the Black Country in today’s @theguardian.com on how Rachel Reeves’s Budget must tackle rising youth unemployment
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
My feature from the Black Country in today’s @theguardian.com on how Rachel Reeves’s Budget must tackle rising youth unemployment
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
‘A job is like finding a needle in a haystack’: how Dudley became centre of UK’s youth jobs crisis
Almost one in five school-leavers in West Midlands town are not in education, employment or training and chancellor is under pressure to deliver promised ‘youth guarantee’
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:39 PM
‘A job is like finding a needle in a haystack’: how Dudley became centre of UK’s youth jobs crisis -
My feature from the Black Country in today’s @theguardian.com on how Rachel Reeves’s Budget must tackle rising youth unemployment
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
My feature from the Black Country in today’s @theguardian.com on how Rachel Reeves’s Budget must tackle rising youth unemployment
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Richard Partington
Late to this but I really enjoyed talking with my old colleague Richard on how Brexit and the City has contributed to the UK's productivity problem:
‘The money machine is misfiring’: City blames Brexit for UK’s £20bn productivity headache
How Brexit hit the London and UK finance exports - landing Rachel Reeves with her bigger-than-forecast budget spending gap
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
How Brexit hit the London and UK finance exports - landing Rachel Reeves with her bigger-than-forecast budget spending gap
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
‘The money machine is misfiring’: City blames Brexit for UK’s £20bn productivity headache
Poor output since the leave vote has landed Rachel Reeves with a bigger-than-forecast budget spending gap
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Late to this but I really enjoyed talking with my old colleague Richard on how Brexit and the City has contributed to the UK's productivity problem:
Bank of England holds interest rates at 4% ahead of make-or-break budget www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Bank of England holds interest rates at 4% ahead of make-or-break budget
Borrowing costs kept unchanged for second meeting in a row, with inflation at nearly twice official target
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Bank of England holds interest rates at 4% ahead of make-or-break budget www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Fixing Britain’s health-driven worklessness crisis will require employers to increase spending on workplace health to £6bn a year - landmark Mayfield review recommends:
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
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
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Fixing Britain’s health-driven worklessness crisis will require employers to increase spending on workplace health to £6bn a year - landmark Mayfield review recommends:
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
‘The money machine is misfiring’: City blames Brexit for UK’s £20bn productivity headache
How Brexit hit the London and UK finance exports - landing Rachel Reeves with her bigger-than-forecast budget spending gap
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
How Brexit hit the London and UK finance exports - landing Rachel Reeves with her bigger-than-forecast budget spending gap
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
‘The money machine is misfiring’: City blames Brexit for UK’s £20bn productivity headache
Poor output since the leave vote has landed Rachel Reeves with a bigger-than-forecast budget spending gap
www.theguardian.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:05 PM
‘The money machine is misfiring’: City blames Brexit for UK’s £20bn productivity headache
How Brexit hit the London and UK finance exports - landing Rachel Reeves with her bigger-than-forecast budget spending gap
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
How Brexit hit the London and UK finance exports - landing Rachel Reeves with her bigger-than-forecast budget spending gap
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Right to buy in reverse: how Brighton is tackling its social housing crisis - my column in today's @theguardian.com on how the seaside council aims to turn the tide:
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Right to buy in reverse: how Brighton is tackling its social housing crisis | Richard Partington
The council is rolling back Thatcher’s flagship policy by buying stock from private landlords. Other local authorities should take note
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Right to buy in reverse: how Brighton is tackling its social housing crisis - my column in today's @theguardian.com on how the seaside council aims to turn the tide:
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
