London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Feb 22, 2026

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng to promise 'new era for Britain' with plan for growth in mini-budget

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng to promise 'new era for Britain' with plan for growth in mini-budget

The chancellor is set to announce tens of billions of pounds both of increased spending and of tax cuts when he delivers his mini-budget at around 9.30am on Friday.

Kwasi Kwarteng will promise a "new era for Britain" with a major package of measures to "turn the vicious cycle of stagnation into a virtuous cycle of growth".

The chancellor is set to announce tens of billions of pounds both of increased spending and of tax cuts when he delivers his mini-budget at around 9.30am on Friday.

The statement is expected to include details of how the government will fund the energy price cap for households and businesses, and put into practice many of Prime Minister Liz Truss's tax-slashing promises.

The government is dubbing it a "growth plan" at a time when the UK faces a cost of living crisis, soaring inflation and climbing interest rates.

Speaking about his priorities in a speech to the House of Commons, the chancellor is expected to say: "Growth is not as high as it needs to be, which has made it harder to pay for public services, requiring taxes to rise.

"This cycle of stagnation has led to the tax burden being forecast to reach the highest levels since the late 1940s.

"We are determined to break that cycle. We need a new approach for a new era focused on growth.

"The work of delivery begins today."

The chancellor will say that focusing on growth will deliver higher wages and raise revenue to fund public services, while allowing Britain to compete with other leading economies.

"That is how we will turn the vicious cycle of stagnation into a virtuous cycle of growth," Mr Kwarteng is expected to say, adding that Ms Truss's administration will be "bold and unashamed in pursuing growth - even where that means taking difficult decisions".

What could be announced?


The chancellor already confirmed ahead of his mini-budget that the National Insurance hike introduced by Boris Johnson's government to pay for social care and tackling the NHS backlog will be reversed on 6 November.

He is also set to axe the planned increase in corporation tax from 19% to 25%, and scrap the caps on bankers' bonuses as part of wider City deregulation.

It has also been reported that he will cut stamp duty in a further attempt to drive growth.

Proposals to fast-track a scheduled 1p cut in income tax and to slash VAT from 20% to 15% across the board are reportedly also being considered.

Under his "growth plan", the chancellor is also expected to announce the creation of new investment zones in dozens of areas across England, where businesses will be offered targeted and time-limited tax cuts to boost productivity and create jobs.

The chancellor is expected to say that the government is in discussion with 38 local and mayoral combined authority areas in England, including West Midlands, Tees Valley, Somerset and Hull.

The investment zone areas will also benefit from a relaxation in planning laws so more land can be released for housing and commercial development.

The chancellor also wants new measures to speed up about 100 major infrastructure projects, including new roads, railways and energy projects, by watering down environmental assessments and other regulations.

He is expected to say: "The time it takes to get consent for nationally significant projects is getting slower, not quicker, while our international competitors forge ahead.

"We have to end this. To support growth right across the country, we need to go further, with targeted action in local areas."

Unlike a full budget, which would typically be held in November, Mr Kwarteng will only put forward a handful of major legislative proposals.

The chancellor has faced criticism for refusing to publish a forecast of the UK's economic outlook alongside his fiscal statement.

Instead, he has said he will provide a timeline for an independent economic forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) during his mini-budget.

'From levelling up to trickle down'


Some economists have warned about the sharp rise in government borrowing to fund the plans.

Estimates of the cost of the energy package are as high as £150bn.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the strategy to drive growth was "a gamble at best" and that ministers risked putting the public finances on an "unsustainable path".

Labour also warned of increased risk and said the plans followed 12 years of "low growth and plummeting living standards".

Pat McFadden, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said: "The Conservatives don't have a new plan for economic growth. They have simply moved from levelling up to trickle down and that has not worked in the past.

"Their choice to fund all of this through borrowing and not attempt to fund even a proportion of it through a windfall tax on the energy companies making the most from the current crisis increases risk and leaves British taxpayers paying more for longer.

"They are doing all of this at a time when inflation is high and interest and mortgage rates are already on the rise."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Weighs Removing Prince Andrew from Line of Succession After Arrest
Prince Andrew’s Arrest in UK Rekindles Scrutiny Over US Handling of Epstein Records
Trump’s Strategic Warning to UK Over Chagos Islands Deal Sparks Diplomatic Whiplash
Starmer Government Postpones Local Elections Affecting 4.5 Million Voters
UK Economy Remains Fragile Despite Recent Upturn in Headline Indicators
UK Businesses Face Fresh Uncertainty Following US Tariff Ruling
Reform UK’s Senior Figures Face Scrutiny Over Remarks on Women and Family Policy
UK Electric Vehicle Drive Threatened by Shortage of 44,000 Qualified Technicians
University of Kentucky Trustees Advance Academic Reforms and Approve Coliseum Plaza Purchase
Boris Johnson Calls for Immediate Deployment of UK Troops to Support Ukraine
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praises the rapid progress of Chinese tech companies.
North Korea's capital experiences a significant construction boom with the development of a new city district dubbed 'Pyonghattan'.
New electric vehicle charging service eliminates waiting times
Vox Populi confronts Justin Trudeau at Davos over vaccination policies
Poland's President Karol Nawrocki ENDS support for Ukrainian citizens:
The mayor of Rotherham in Britain
One day after ex-Prince Andrew's arrest, British police are searching his former home, while U.K. lawmakers will consider introducing legislation to remove him from the line of royal succession
Vandana Shiva reminding the world that Bill Gates did not invent anything.
Italy's PM Giorgia Meloni highlights record employment and economic growth
UK Confirms Preferential U.S. Trading Terms Will Continue After Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
U.S. and U.K. to Hold Talks on Diego Garcia as Iran Objects to Potential Military Use
UK Officials Weigh Possible Changes to Prince Andrew’s Position in Line of Succession Amid Ongoing Scrutiny
British Police Probe Epstein’s UK Airport Links and Expand High-Profile Inquiries
The Impact of U.S. Sanctions on Cuba's Humanitarian Crisis: A Tightening Noose
Trump Directs Government to Release UFO and Alien Information
Trump Signs Global 10% Tariffs on Imports
United Kingdom Denies U.S. Access to Military Base for Potential Iran Strike
British Co-founder of ASOS falls to his death from Pattaya apartment
Early 2026 Data Suggests Tentative Recovery for UK Businesses and Households
UK Introduces Digital-First Passport Rules for Dual Citizens in Border Control Overhaul
Unable to Access Live Financial Data for January UK Surplus Report
UK Government Considers Law to Remove Prince Andrew from Royal Line of Succession
UK ‘Working Closely with US’ to Assess Impact of Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
Trump Criticises UK Decision to Restrict Use of Bases in Potential Iran Strike Scenario
UK Foreign Secretary and U.S. State Chief Hold Strategic Talks as Tensions Rise Over Joint Air Base
Two teens arrested in France for alleged terror plot.
Nordic Fracture: How Criminal Scandals and Toxic Ties are Dismantling the Norwegian Crown
US Supreme Court Voids Trump’s Emergency Tariff Plan, Reshaping Trade Power and Fiscal Risk
King Charles III Opens London Fashion Week as Royal Family Faces Fresh Scrutiny
Trump’s Evolving Stance on UK Chagos Islands Deal Draws Renewed Scrutiny
House Democrat Says Former UK Ambassador Unable to Testify in Congressional Epstein Inquiry
No Record of Prince Andrew Arrest in UK as Claims Circulate Online
UK Has Not Granted US Approval to Launch Iran Strikes from RAF Bases, Government Confirms
AI Pricing Pressure Mounts as Chinese Models Undercut US Rivals and Margin Risks Grow
Global Counsel, Advisory Firm Co-Founded by Lord Mandelson, Enters Administration After Client Exodus
London High Court dispute over Ricardo Salinas’s $400mn Elektra share-backed bitcoin loan
UK Intensifies Efforts to Secure Saudi Investment in Next-Generation Fighter Jet Programme
Former Student Files Civil Claim Against UK Authorities After Rape Charges Against Peers Are Dropped
Archer Aviation Chooses Bristol for New UK Engineering Hub to Drive Electric Air Taxi Expansion
UK Sees Surge in Medical Device Testing as Government Pushes Global Competitiveness
×