Here are 5 important things happening in the UK today – 4 June 2025.
- £15 billion for trains and buses: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced the government will spend £15 billion on trams, trains and buses outside London. The spending forms part of a charm offensive to persuade fractious Labour MPs that her spending review will not be a return to austerity. [Guardian]
- UK spared from steel tariffs: The UK has been temporarily spared from US President Donald Trump’s executive order doubling steel and aluminium tariffs from 25% to 50%. The order raises import taxes for US-based firms buying the metals from other countries from Wednesday, but the levy remains at 25% for the UK. [BBC]
- Push for higher TV licence fee: BBC Director General Tim Davie has called for a higher licence fee to help make up for a decade of cuts at the broadcaster. Davie said he was open to reform of the fee and its enforcement, but made it clear that he wanted more money from the public to enable investment. [Telegraph]
- New energy plans get backing: Government proposals to split Britain’s power market into zones, under which households and businesses would pay different rates depending on how close they are to wind and solar farms, have been backed by an influential group of peers.
- On Wednesday, Oil was trading slightly lower at $65.39 a barrel. The pound was trading at £1.35 to the dollar, £1.19 to the euro and £9.71 to the yuan.
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