With money tight, ministers are looking for novel ways to finance new trains. The solution might lie across the channel.

British finance minister Rachel Reeves met euro zone counterparts for the first time on Monday, pushing for co-operation to boost growth without getting into the details on tricky issues that may hinder a reset in relations.

Labour was accused of trying to "take Britain backwards into the slow growth EU" as the Chancellor meets EU finance chiefs today. Rachel Reeves will be the first Chancellor to attend the Eurogroup meeting of EU finance ministers since Brexit as the Government continues its "reset" with the bloc.

Reducing Britain's trade barriers with the European Union will improve the growth prospects of both, finance minister Rachel Reeves will tell her euro zone counterparts on Monday when she meets the group for the first time.