News & Views

Latest hit to growth ‘tragically yet entirely predictable’

Growth Commission member Ewen Stewart has issued the following response to the GDP figures for October that have been issued this morning: “The UK economy continues to fail. Today’s GDP figures for the three months to the end of October show the UK economy in decline: production fell by 0.5%, impacted by the continuing self-inflicted decline in […]

Employment Rights Bill now calculated as causing a likely £38 billion hit to the economy

As MPs again debate the Government’s Employment Rights Bill, new Growth Commission calculations of the potential impact of the legislation provide further cause for concern about the likely hit to economic growth. Last week the non-partisan Commission comprising thirteen international economists established a likely hit to UK GDP of £23 billion over a five-year period […]

The Budget will hit growth – and deepen the Chancellor’s ‘black hole’

The key measures announced in today’s Budget will lead to growth remaining stagnant and revenues again failing to meet forecasts. That is the verdict of The Growth Commission, whose analysis predicts that Rachel Reeves’ failure to address the ‘crisis of unproductive public spending’ means it is almost certain that she (or a putative successor as […]

Rachel Reeves warned to cut spending and cut taxes if growth is really her top priority as Growth Budget 2025 is published

Rachel Reeves needs to cut public spending, reverse the revenue-losing tax rises she instituted last year and pursue significant supply side reforms if she is to reduce borrowing and deliver meaningful economic growth. That is the message contained in The Growth Commission’s Growth Budget 2025, published today ahead of next week’s Budget. With the Prime […]

Flatlining growth shows need for a radical rethink at the Budget

Growth Commission member Douglas McWilliams has issued the following response to the GDP figures for the third quarter of 2025 that have been issued this morning: “Quarterly GDP growth in Q3 is officially estimated to have fallen to 0.1% from 0.3% in Q2, while GDP per capita growth for the quarter – the best measure […]