These were not the economic choices I wanted to make, but they are right for Britain
Rachel Reeves
Tory overspending and unfunded commitments have badly damaged the nation. Tough decisions are needed to rebuild it from the ground up, writes Rachel Reeves
If you build hospitals, roads and railways, growth will follow
Torsten Bell
Public investment projects bring the short-term benefits of job creation, but their long-term effects are far more beneficial
Observer comment cartoon
Chris Riddell on Keir Starmer’s endangered Ming vase – cartoon
The prime minister’s beauty sleep is interrupted by an unwelcome visitor with designs on the government’s spending plans
Labour’s doom-and-gloom messaging on the economy risks backfiring
Some in the party worry that constant reference to the financial ‘black hole’ left by the Tories could dent consumer and business confidence
ECB mulls second interest rate cut as eurozone inflation falls to 2.2%
Drop to lowest level since 2021 may lead to cut in September though unemployment figures give cause for concern
If Starmer and Reeves think they have a foolproof strategy – wait until winter comes
Aditya Chakrabortty
When the bills hit the mat and taxes go up, Labour’s talk of ‘short-term pain’ will feel intolerable to poor households, says Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty