Latest ONS figures show public sector productivity fell by 0.7% in the three months to June. That’s the steepest fall in nearly three years. Those public sector pay rises Labour handed over didn’t help then…
Healthcare productivity fell by 1.5% and total public service productivity grew by just 0.3% in 2024 – well below the 0.7% average annual growth rate in the decade up to 2019. Meanwhile, the OBR is expected to downgrade UK productivity, Oxford Economics analysis shows that the UK’s national debt is growing at the fastest rate of any advanced economy, and accountancy firm EY predicts unemployment will rise to 5% next year. And that’s before you get to Reeves’ tax hikes…
Burnham confirms he spoke to Trump last night about drilling in the North Sea:
“I indicated in the phone call that we had a week last Monday that I would take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea, and that is my intention as we go forward from here. There is a resource there. When people are struggling, we can’t ignore that. Hence, me indicating that to the president…”