Badenoch vows to end inheritance tax on family homes October 7, 2026 Kemi Badenoch has announced that the Tories will scrap inheritance taxes on family homes if the party is elected. In her main address to party members at the Conservatives’ conference, she said the Conservatives would restore “common sense” as political leaders enter a “battle for the soul of this nation”. The new pledge on inheritance [...]
Labour’s band-aid won’t save the justice system from collapse October 7, 2026 When the buildings designed to deliver justice are infested with rats, it is no surprise that the system itself is rotting from the inside out, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. The terrible state of the justice system is by now well understood, but with the government’s most controversial plan to relive the pressure now partially scrapped, the [...]
Will anyone turn Badenoch’s looming battle into a tapestry? October 7, 2026 The Tory party has been enjoying itself in Birmingham, not least thanks to the delightful wheeze of mocking up the Bayeux Tapestry to tell the story of British politics under Labour’s first two years in power. The exhibition may well prove to be among the most popular offerings at the party conference; behind Jeremy Clarkson [...]
Stages of tax grief: Is it time for bankers to bargain? October 7, 2026 Banks are in the firing line at the Budget and in a meeting with bosses on Tuesday chancellor John Healey played coy on any increased rates. In this week’s column Samuel Norman looks at what trade-off could be made. Also on the cards, fresh data shows fintechs are lurching ahead of the incumbents on customer [...]
UK AI health rules could give firms ‘competitive edge’ as ministers back overhaul October 6, 2026 Experts have said Britain’s new approach to regulating AI in healthcare could give UK tech firms a “competitive edge” by letting them prove their technology in the NHS earlier. The UK government on Tuesday accepted all 44 recommendations of the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare, paving the way for a shake-up [...]
Badenoch to offer tax cuts as Tories pitch ‘credible alternative’ to Labour October 6, 2026 Expectations are growing that Kemi Badenoch will announce “multiple” tax cuts in her flagship speech at the Conservative Party conference, with announcements on national insurance and inheritance tax set to take centre stage. The Tory leader is looking to boost her support base among Britain’s middle classes as she warned that an early election would [...]
Huge £45m bill for Peckham Rye station upgrade branded ‘scandalous’ October 6, 2026 The huge £45m bill to give Peckham Rye station step-free access – which is backed by a top Cabinet minister – involves forcing builders to use handheld tools to carve bricks and demolishing an art centre in order to complete the works, City AM has found. On Tuesday, energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh launched a petition [...]
Reeves beats Kwarteng to ‘worst chancellor’ in new ranking October 6, 2026 Just months after her exit from Number 11, Rachel Reeves has been given the dubious honour of being voted “worst chancellor”, in a new survey. According to an AJ Bell survey, Reeves was the least popular of the last five chancellors, and even ranked below Kwasi Kwarteng, who held the role for just over a [...]
Governments should spend more on welfare to tackle cost of living, says IMF October 6, 2026 Governments across the world should prioritise targeted welfare support for low income households over broader measures like tax cuts to ease the cost of living, the International Monetary Fund has said. Policymakers should do more to protect vulnerable households from surges in inflation caused by geopolitical events like the Iran war, the IMF says in [...]
Tories say £10bn ‘Britannia Shield’ would fend off missiles October 5, 2026 Kemi Badenoch has said a “Britannia shield” worth £10bn would fend off missile attacks from hostile countries as the party expanded its defence policy on Tuesday. Badenoch said the extra spending on defence pledged by the party last month would be allocated on radar, command and interceptor missile systems that would protect Britain’s infrastructure and [...]