UK Treasury ‘weighs up funding cuts at GB Energy’ in blow to Ed Miliband

Government considering such a move over state-owned firm set up by Labour in June’s spending review, say reports

Military spending is touted as a remedy for Britain’s ailing economy. Here’s why it won’t work

Since the 1980s Britain’s military spending has grown in real terms, yet more than half of military jobs have been lost. The sector is hi-tech and low labour, says Khem Rogaly, a senior research fellow at the thinktank Common Wealth

Council tax in Scotland to reach record high with 15% rise in some areas

Levies on tourists and cruise ships considered by some local authorities in attempt to plug funding gaps

Treat weapons investments as ‘ethical’ to help arm Ukraine and UK, MPs urge

More than 100 Labour MPs and peers sign open letter saying ESG policies are holding back defence spending

Britain is now following a developing country economic model – and we know where that leads

Selling off assets to foreign owners, deregulating markets, and liberalising financial services only leads to inequality and instability, says Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, chief executive of the New Economics Foundation

Bank and building society users hit by 33 days of outages in two years, say MPs

Treasury committee finds disruption a result of 158 IT incidents affecting millions of customers

European markets soar as Germany moves to lift ‘debt brake’ and raise defence spending

Berlin’s ‘big bazooka’ proposal sends industrial stocks surging but fiscal sea change also hikes borrowing costs

Trump’s trade war could pose ‘substantial’ threat to UK economy, says Bank

Although UK may avoid tariffs, overall productivity could be impacted by tit-for-tat tariffs between economies

Ban on new drilling confirmed as ministers consult on North Sea’s ‘clean energy future’

Gas and oil industry cautiously welcomes government proposals that could ease tax burden on sector

Cross-party group of MPs express ‘deep concern’ over cuts to UK’s aid budget

International development committee warns of the potential damage cuts may cause in letter to the PM

UK ban on zero-hours contracts ‘to include agency workers’

Government to expand coverage of employment rights bill, according to report

UK defence spending is about to boom – can British firms step up?

Keir Starmer plans to build up UK military, but domestic companies could lose out if it is forced to turn to US weapons instead

European defence stocks soar as arms makers expect orders boom

Big rises for BAE, Rheinmetall, Thales and Leonardo amid European push to support possible Ukraine peace deal

Weak UK consumer spending is denting business mood, says CBI

Employers lobby group says business activity is falling with most firms expecting worse to come

The Guardian view on Labour eyeing green cuts: they would undermine growth and climate goals

Editorial: Bold pledges to fund climate projects now appear under threat, exposing deeper fiscal constraints and policy dilemmas within the government