UK’s mid-sized firms at fastest growth since Labour elected Economics Middle-market businesses are growing at their fastest rate since Labour was elected last July, fresh research has suggested, as UK bosses shake off cost increases in taxes and utility bills. Labour has made economic growth a central mission in government, with small and medium-sized firms highlighted as key to driving national income. Fresh research by [...]
Week in Business: Reeves bets on the banks but economy still hurting Video Rachel Reeves set out to charm the City this week, but elsewhere, the economy is reeling from high taxes and low confidence.
UK SMEs paralysed by fear despite ‘sitting on piles of cash’ Business Small-to-medium sized companies in the UK (SMEs) are “paralysed by fear” because of geopolitical uncertainty and a lack of clear economic policy, according to new research. Accounting and advisory group Azets said a large number of SMEs are “sitting on significant piles of cash” but are nevertheless holding back on investment. The warning, issued by [...]
Bank of England urged to hold interest rates despite jobs drop July 17, 2025 A leading City forecaster has advised Bank of England policymakers to vote to hold interest rates at its next meeting in August to help battle rising inflation. Robert Wood, UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, warned the Bank of England not to read too much into the drop in jobs numbers, with initial estimates by the [...]
Labour minister: UK-EU trade deal could take another year to kick in July 17, 2025 The UK’s trade deal with the European Union, set to ease food standards and align energy markets could still take another year to come into effect, a Labour minister has warned. In a landmark post-Brexit deal, the UK and EU agreed a deal on food standards to slash red tape for British exporters while giving [...]
Rachel Reeves’ tax raid leads to thousands of job losses as wage growth cools July 17, 2025 Thousands of jobs were lost in June, official data has shown, putting the Bank of England under greater pressure to deal with the consequences of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ £20bn tax raid at its next interest rates decision in August. Bank Governor Andrew Bailey has warned that “softening” in the labour market could force rate-setters to [...]
Sticky inflation takes shine off Reeves’ week July 17, 2025 If the Chancellor was hoping to bask in the glow of supportive front-page coverage the morning after her Mansion House speech, she would have been disappointed. The spectacular revelations of Whitehall’s hushed-up cock-up over Afghan refugees knocked her off the top of the news agenda pretty much across the board. Only City AM gave her [...]
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out pension tax raid July 16, 2025 Prime Minister Keir Starmer shied away from ruling out a pensions tax raid at the Autumn Budget despite top researchers’ calls for the government to refrain from adding ever-higher cost burdens on Britons. Keir Starmer has faced repeated questions about several taxes being introduced later this year given City estimates that as much as £24bn [...]
Andrew Bailey sets Donald Trump challenge on tariff plans July 16, 2025 Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has set President Donald Trump a “constructive challenge” to explain contradictions in fiscal policies that threaten the world economy and financial stability. In his Mansion House speech delivered to an audience of City leaders, Andrew Bailey defended the principles of free trade and post-war agreements to introduce multilateral systems [...]
Pressure on Bank of England and Reeves as inflation spikes July 16, 2025 The UK economy is at risk of ‘stagflation’ after official data revealed that inflation edged up to 3.6 per cent in June, putting further interest rate cuts by the Bank of England at risk. In the latest set of price growth data before the next monetary policy decision in August, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that [...]