1/ With Budget 2026 just over two weeks away, we’ve launched a new report previewing the big decisions and challenges ahead. Can Andy Burnham and John Healey find a way to improve the mood music around our fiscal events?🧵

Some tough news for John Healey this morning: August borrowing came in at £18.3bn – that’s up from £15.4bn a year ago and the second highest August on record. This shows why the Chancellor faces a tricky balancing act ahead for the Budget. Short thread…🧵

CPI inflation jumps back up to 3.1% in August from 2.9% in July. This was in line with market expectations but above the BoE forecast (from July). The worse news is that with rising oil and gas prices there is more of this to come... Short thread to follow.

Autumn Budget 2026 has just been announced for 28 October so it’s time to get technical about living standards. The two main measures of household income, RHDI and HBAI, can tell very different stories. The new @resolutionfoundation.org spotlight I’ve just published explains why. 🧵⤵️

Today, the Government gave us the first real details of its plans for devolution. The headline measure is letting mayors keep a slice of Income Tax raised in their areas, in an effort to sharpen their incentives to grow. www.gov.uk/government/n...

PM hands mayors share of income tax to make lives better in every postcode

The Prime Minister will today launch the biggest transfer of power from Westminster in a generation, giving communities greater control over the decisions that shape jobs, transport, housing and publi...

gov.uk

Today Burnham announced the return of the £2 bus fare cap, a much loved policy of previous Governments that was raised to £3 by Reeves two years ago. But who will benefit? [THREAD]

New @OBR_UK Fiscal risks and sustainability report out today: obr.uk/frs/fiscal-r.... Plenty of exploding debt charts to confirm your worst fiscal fears (see below). But there's also some hints at our fiscal salvation... Short thread on that to follow (& a plug for next week)...

With Andy Burnhnam looking ever more likely to be the next PM, what tough decisions lie ahead for him? Turns out the new trade-offs look a lot like the old trade-offs. @ruthcurtice.bsky.social breaks down the challenges – from living standards to public services – in 5 charts ⬇️ buff.ly/vTEZMib

Dear Andy • Resolution Foundation

Morning all, I don’t know why major international football tournaments provoke upheaval on Downing Street, but there’s definitely a pattern emerging. So, we’ve got a special edition for you, laying…

resolutionfoundation.org

Hold onto your hats everyone because there's double *good* news on UK inflation this morning... The expected rise in inflation in May failed to materialise AND (more importantly) falls in energy prices mean inflation will peak much lower than expected later this year...

Home Sec using secondary powers from a 1970s immigration act to enact sweeping changes to ILR. This will put many people (and the govt) in legal peril. New @instituteforgovernment.org.uk piece from me on this. N.B. Burnham has said these changes should go ahead. tinyurl.com/3snksf3r

Shabana Mahmood’s retrospective action on immigration could undermine trust in government | Institute for Government

The home secretary’s immigration reforms could put her on collision course with the courts

instituteforgovernment.org.uk

Useful thread from James on today's CPI data release.

JamesSmithNIESR@jamessmithniesr.bsky.social · 6mo ago

UK inflation data out this morning show an unexpectedly big FALL in the rate of price increases. You might be forgiven for thinking there is a war on, so why is inflation falling? A LOT going on here, so thread to follow. Key point - this is the last fall for a while so enjoy it while you can...

What happens when you increase the Irish talent at RF....kudos to @cillian-sheehan.bsky.social for this chart of the week to lighten the mood as beer garden weather finally kicks in.

Resolution Foundation@resolutionfoundation.org · 7mo ago

How many pints of Guinness does an hour’s work buy you? Well, it depends where you live. Check out our Chart of the week ⤵️ buff.ly/KPkiIZZ