BBC Business
UK government borrows £18.3bn in August - almost a fifth more than last year - as inflation and debt interest costs pile pressure on Chancellor John Healey ahead of his 28 October Budget.
BBC Business
Ed Davey wants a 10p fuel duty cut until Christmas, cheaper buses and trains, and no VAT on EV charging - all self-funding, apparently, which is certainly one way to do maths.
BBC Politics
The Conservatives want Burnham to rule out tax rises, Griffith won't commit to scrapping inheritance tax, and everyone is very concerned about the pips.
BBC Business
Chancellor John Healey unveils a £150m fund for northern firms, promising growth in every postcode, while experts and opposition leaders question whether it's enough to move the needle.
The Guardian
British army suspends non-essential training to save money, but rest assured, the tanks will be back - eventually, probably after the budget review.
BBC Politics
Andy Burnham's summer of love ends as Parliament returns, where he'll face PMQs, a tricky prisons row, and a Budget that could define his premiership - all while trying to keep his own MPs happy.
BBC Business
Andy Burnham refuses to rule out tax rises while promising to be 'careful' - because nothing says careful like borrowing more than expected and hoping for the best.
The Guardian Europe
Private pensions: a state-subsidised scheme that lets the wealthy retire in style, while everyone else gets to subsidise their cruise.
BBC Business
MPs and peers unite to say the obvious: student loans are a financial nightmare that needs fixing, preferably before the next generation drowns in debt.
The Guardian
Chancellor Healey warns retailers he's watching for price gouging during the Iran war, while retailers say, 'We're not the problem, taxes are.'
BBC Politics
Government's plan to share income tax with regional mayors gets a lukewarm reception, with Tories demanding rebates and Labour MPs crying 'discrimination' - devolution, it seems, is complicated.
BBC Business
Chancellor Healey announces October Budget, promising fiscal discipline while Burnham's spending plans pile up like unread emails.
BBC Business
New government cuts VAT and caps bus fares, but ignores frozen tax thresholds; nearly 2 million households in water poverty; and most over-45s prefer giving money before death.
The Guardian
John Healey, the hardworking desk-tethering defence secretary, is now chancellor - but is he a fiscal hawk or a big spender? The markets await, with raised eyebrows.
BBC Business
Andy Burnham takes office promising financial relief, but the fine print involves tough choices, possible tax tweaks, and the eternal struggle against reality.
The Guardian Europe
Keir Starmer insists he's not walking away, even as his defence secretary storms off over an £18bn funding gap, the US side-eyes UK spending, and a leadership challenge looms.
BBC Politics
Labour's Defence Investment Plan was supposed to show Sir Keir Starmer can get things done - instead, it sparked resignations, exposed leadership jitters, and left the government scrambling to explain itself at NATO.
The Guardian
Defence Secretary John Healey quits in a huff because the government's military spending plan amounts to a 0.8% GDP increase over five years, which he says isn't enough to fend off potential Russian aggression by 2030.
BBC Politics
UK government discovers the radical concept of buying British for defence contracts, promises to stop sending money abroad while industry collapses waiting for a plan.
The Good Times
One sardonic roundup, delivered on your schedule. Free. Unsubscribe whenever your tolerance for wit runs out.
Already subscribed but we never reach your inbox? Check your spam folder and hit 'Not spam' (or 'Remove from spam') to bust us out of junk-mail purgatory. You'll be helping everyone else too.
The Good Times
One sardonic roundup, delivered on your schedule. Free. Unsubscribe whenever your tolerance for wit runs out.
Already subscribed but we never reach your inbox? Check your spam folder and hit 'Not spam' (or 'Remove from spam') to bust us out of junk-mail purgatory. You'll be helping everyone else too.
Don't open any of our emails for a month and you'll be automatically removed from the mailing list.