Warning over fragile public finances as borrowing rises

Rodney Benson, a media professor at New York University, called the deal “concerning”, would leave America’s largest media companies further concentrated in the hands of conservatives. Many of those owners, including the Ellison family, have separate, non news-related business interests that depend on government contracts or regulation and are therefore particularly vulnerable to pressure, he…

The chancellor has given the clearest indication yet that she wants to give herself more financial breathing space in November’s Budget. Speaking at a gathering of business leaders in Saudi Arabia, Rachel Reeves said she wanted to ensure the UK had “sufficient headroom” to provide resilience against future shocks. The implication is that the £9.9bn…