Reeves Delivers First Speech As Chancellor

The UK's new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Labour's Rachel Reeves, is delivering her first speech in office to an audience of business leaders at the Treasury. A livestream can be found here. The address is set to focus on the incoming Labour government's plans for the economy, with a particular focus on housebuilding.

• The BBC reports that in the speech, "She's expected to announce that she will bring back compulsory housebuilding targets. And we expect her to announce some immediate loosening of planning red tape that has held back construction, infrastructure, and the energy grid. Her hope will be that it'll convince investors to unleash tens of billions of pounds in green industry and housebuilding."
• Speaking to the Today programme earlier today, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones (Reeves' number two) said that planning reform would boost growth, which the Labour gov't sees as "the sustainable way to get public finances back in order for the long run”.