Developers urge Labour to cut red tape and boost housebuilding October 27, 2026 The government has been urged to slash red tape and boost housebuilding in the UK as the rate of construction of new homes falls well behind Labour’s own targets. A group of property and investment leaders have handed a set of proposals to the government which they say will get stalled housing schemes moving and [...]
British banks vulnerable after outsourcing AI to US tech giants, Bank of England finds October 27, 2026 British banks are becoming increasingly reliant on a handful of foreign tech giants to power their AI ambitions, new research from Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority has revealed, raising concerns over the City’s dependence on overseas infrastructure. The three largest cloud computing providers account for 79 per cent of reported supplier relationships among [...]
Healey expected to set £15bn fiscal headroom with £5bn in tax hikes October 27, 2026 John Healey will set his fiscal headroom at a minimum of £15bn, City analysts have predicted, although closer attention will be paid to the Chancellor’s spending restraint. Economists at major banks are anticipating Healey’s buffer against the main fiscal rule to shrink slightly. The borrowing rule states that day-to-day government spending should at least match projected [...]
The Bed Tax: The Wrong Measure, for the Wrong Purpose, at the Wrong Time October 27, 2026 | Sponsored As the Government urges the nation to prepare for crises, it risks undermining the very hospitality businesses that keep people safe, support essential workers and help London function. Central London Alliance is calling for democratic accountability, a proper economic and social assessment, and a fundamental rethink of the proposed Overnight Visitor Levy. The timing could [...]
China, Australia and the Pacific: How rugby is shaping soft power arms race October 27, 2026 Rugby union and league are growing in the Indo-Pacific, as is the investment from central governments of dominant regional powers. Matt Hardy asks why. Amid the disruption at airports in Saudi Arabia, the limited access through the Strait of Hormuz and the nagging feeling that the world is on the verge of doom, soft power [...]
Pension reform means Brits don’t have to wait for billionaires to give them shares October 27, 2026 American children may be being given SpaceX shares, but UK pension reforms means Brits can access superstar companies through their savings.
Possible tax hikes for LLPs in Budget may ‘distort’ the market and push firms overseas October 27, 2026 Despite the professional services sector dodging tax hikes on LLPs in last year’s Budget, it remains unclear whether Chancellor John Healey will impose tax changes this time round, but Rosie Harris-Davison writes that experts have warned against any tax burdens on the sector. In the lead-up to last year’s Budget, whispers circulated for weeks that [...]
EY partner pay jumps to £870k despite consulting slump October 27, 2026 Big Four giant EY posted a two per cent rise in UK fee income over the past year and hiked payouts for its partners, even as its consulting arm came under pressure from what it said was a “challenging market”. For the financial year ending 3 July 2026, the firm reported UK fee income of [...]
HSBC ‘encouraged’ by Burnham agenda despite tax threat and growth downgrade October 27, 2026 HSBC’s finance boss said the bank is “very encouraged” by Andy Burnham’s agenda, despite slashing its UK growth forecast ahead of a potential tax raid. Pam Kaur, HSBC’s chief financial officer, said: “The UK is our home market, our focus in the UK is supporting customers with their growth ambitions.” But when asked about a [...]
HW Fisher sanctioned over GFG Alliance audit lapses October 27, 2026 The watchdog has fined HW Fisher LLP and one of its partners £200,000 for serious professional failures during an audit of Liberty Commodities, a group within metals tycoon Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said HW Fisher LLP and lead auditor Simon Mott-Cowan showed a pervasive lack of “professional scepticism” during the [...]