Heather Stewart

London

Special Correspondent at The Guardian

Special correspondent at the Guardian - covering post-covid, post Brexit 🇬🇧 DMs are open; [email protected]

Articles

US firms say Trump trade war is hitting production as dollar nears three-year low

4 days ago | theguardian.com | Heather Stewart

US manufacturers warned on Monday that Donald Trump’s trade war is hitting production, pushing the dollar close to a three-year low against sterling. The greenback suffered a fresh sell-off, after the closely watched ISM survey of the manufacturing sector signalled a third monthly decline in output in a row. The ISM purchasing managers’ index fell to 48.5% in May – below the 50 level that signals contraction.
Labour’s botched U-turn on winter fuel allowance questions its purpose in power

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Heather Stewart

The lady is, it seems, for turning: one of Rachel Reeves’s first decisions as chancellor was to strip winter fuel allowance from the vast majority of pensioners. Keir Starmer now says more of them should be eligible. Pressure to shift had become intense after local elections where Labour councillors swept out of power by Reform repeatedly cited voter concern over winter fuel.
Reeves hopes to show UK is open for business

2 weeks ago | taipeitimes.com | Heather Stewart

By Heather Stewart / The Guardian British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves joked to journalists after Monday’s EU-UK reset that trade deals were coming along “like buses,” given the agreements with India and the US that had also been sealed in the past fortnight alone. The chancellor described the EU deal as the best that had been secured by any non-member country, but she was also keen to talk about the three successful negotiations as a package.
Our £5bn disability benefits cut will stop welfare state collapsing, says Kendall

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Heather Stewart |Jessica Elgot

The work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall, will double down on Labour’s £5bn disability benefits cuts on Wednesday, claiming she is reforming the welfare state to save it from collapse. Opposition to the welfare package continues to mount within her party before next month’s vote. Labour backbenchers claim more than 100 colleagues have signed a private letter telling party whips they are unable to support it.
Lady Jays fall to Riverside in final regular season game

2 weeks ago | sabethaherald.com | Heather Stewart

Walk Kansas Walk Kansas Starts: Ends: - Description: Register online at WalkKansas.org Brown County Commission Meeting Brown County Commission Meeting Starts: Ends: - Location: Brown County Courthouse, Hiawatha, KS Morrill Coffeehouse Morrill Coffeehouse Starts: Ends: - Location: Old Community Building, Morrill Nemaha County Commission Meeting Nemaha County Commission Meeting Starts: Ends: - Location: Nemaha County Courthouse, Seneca, KS Prairie Hills USD No. 113 Board of Education Meeting...
Prairie Hills USD No. 113 Board of Education

2 weeks ago | sabethaherald.com | Heather Stewart

The Prairie Hills USD No. 113 Board of Education (BOE) met at 6 p.m. Monday, May 12, at the district office in Sabetha. Present for the meeting were board members present were Kathy Lippert, Leslie Scoby, Jim Scoby, Phillip Buessing, Stan Keim, Doug Renyer and Todd Grimes, Superintendent Todd Evans, Board Clerk Deb Damman, Director of Student Learning Lisa Suhr, and Building Administrators Nathan Bauman, Andrew Lillie and Matt Garber. There were also four guests present.
Labour will hope EU deal is final piece of jigsaw to boost economy

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Heather Stewart

Monday’s EU-UK reset deal will not instantly produce the growth Labour sorely needs to fulfil its promise to voters, but ministers hope it marks another incremental step on the road to a more optimistic economic future. Three aspects of the agreement have been particularly welcomed by business, and form the core of the economic package – although many details remain to be negotiated.
Labour can’t keep papering over the cracks in the care sector

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Heather Stewart

When Yvette Cooper announced she was cancelling visas for social care, in a round of tough-talking TV interviews earlier this month, she made clear that pay and conditions in this chronically understaffed sector must improve. The home secretary is right. As any regular care home visitor will attest, these are highly skilled, overwhelmingly female workers, surrounding those they look after, not with an “island of strangers,” but with diligence and love.
Charities step up pressure on Keir Starmer to scrap two-child benefit cap

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Heather Stewart |Rowena Mason

Charities and a Labour-aligned pressure group are ramping up calls on Keir Starmer to scrap the two-child limit on benefits, as polling shows support for action on youth poverty remains high, and is equally solid among Labour voters tempted by Reform. As discussions continue in government ahead of the forthcoming child poverty strategy, a survey commissioned by a coalition of charities suggests voters want to see families prioritised.
Diminished UK aid budget is ‘new normal’, says development minister

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Heather Stewart

The UK’s drastically diminished aid budget is the “new normal,” the development minister, Jenny Chapman, has said, as she claimed Labour’s approach would help repair voters’ faith in overseas aid. Lady Chapman took up her post in February, after Anneliese Dodds resigned in protest at Keir Starmer’s decision to slash overseas aid spending to 0.3% of gross national income from 0.5%, to pay for increased defence spending.