Weds round-up: Ministers mull £5bn economy boost

Ministers are discussing plans to inject up to £5bn into the economy without abandoning their deficit reduction strategy, according to reports.

Some Cabinet members believe Chancellor George Osborne could raise capital spending on infrastructure, BBC political editor Nick Robinson says.

The government has faced calls for a "Plan B" on the economy amid flagging growth and rising unemployment, but has always rejected them.

Yesterday the International Monetary Fund warned of the risk of a double-dip recession in the UK and other countries unless policymakers took urgent action. MORE...

Meanwhile, Nick Clegg is expected to defend the government's economic strategy and his party's role in the coalition in his leader's speech to the Liberal Democrat conference on Wednesday.

The deputy PM is expected to say they will not change course on spending cuts but can do more to encourage growth. MORE...

Britain's most senior taxman has admitted making "governance errors" when agreeing multibillion-pound settlements with large companies that may have left taxpayers millions of pounds out of pocket.

The errors are understood to relate to Vodafone and US investment bank Goldman Sachs. MORE...

US authorities are said to be seeking information from hedge funds as they investigate possible insider trading just hours before America's credit rating was cut. MORE...