Exchequer George Osborne

The government will stick firmly to a barrage of austerity measures, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne insisted in a budget that also slashed economic growth forecasts, while offering plans to boost the weak economy as the eurozone crisis reignites.

At least 95,000 civil servants went on strike in Britain on Wednesday, closing courts and museum galleries in a dispute over pay, pensions and working conditions timed to coincide with the government's annual budget.

The government on Wednesday halved its economic growth forecast for 2013, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne revealed in his annual budget.

Unemployment in Britain has risen for the first time in more than a year, official data showed on Wednesday, dealing a blow to Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne ahead of his annual budget.

The government was Wednesday set to unveil plans to grow Britain's recession-threatened economy, despite insisting on greater state savings as it struggles to meet its deficit-reduction target.

The government was Wednesday set to unveil plans to grow the country's recession-threatened economy, despite insisting on greater state savings as it struggles to meet its deficit-reduction target.

MPs were on Monday to take a crucial vote on press regulation, with senior government members claiming a deal could still be brokered despite the breakdown of cross-party talks.

MPs were on Monday to take a crucial vote on press regulation, with senior government members claiming a deal could still be brokered despite the breakdown of cross-party talks.

Britain will compensate any British government and military personnel whose bank accounts in Cyprus are subject to an EU bailout levy, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said on Sunday.

Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday that his government needed to slash the deficit "further and faster" after Moody's ratings agency stripped the country of its cherished top-level AAA credit rating.

Moody's Investors Service has stripped Britain of its triple-A debt rating, saying government debt is still mounting and that growth is too weak to reverse the trend before 2016.

A split has emerged in the government on managing its cooling relations with China, The Sunday Times newspaper said, citing sources.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne on Saturday warned against "economic warfare" as the G20 states of top world economies met hoping to allay fears they could devalue national currencies to boost economic activity.

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne on Saturday warned against "economic warfare" as the G20 states of top world economies met hoping to allay fears they could devalue national currencies to boost economic activity.

The Treasury insisted Saturday it would dispose of its majority stake in the Royal Bank of Scotland "at the appropriate moment" amid reports ministers were considering a share giveaway.

Britain's banks will be broken up if they fail to ring-fence retail operations from their investment divisions to avoid any future state bailouts of lenders, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne warned on Monday.

London shares rose on Friday as data showed that the eurozone may finally be emerging from its crisis despite news that Britain's economy shrank 0.3 percent in the final quarter of 2012.

British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne on Thursday rejected suggestions by the International Monetary Fund that he should lessen the pace of his government's austerity programme.

The Bank of England is expected to keep its key interest rate at a record-low 0.50 percent on Thursday and decide against pumping out more new cash to stimulate Britain's weak economy, analysts said.

Britain's feuding coalition government renews its vows midway through its five-year term of office on Monday with a pledge for fresh reforms after disagreements on issues including Europe.