Trump demands US-backed insurance as firms suspend cover in Persian Gulf March 4, 2026 Donald Trump calls for a US-backed insurance following news that most of the world’s largest maritime insurance firms are set to cease covering war risks for ships entering the Persian Gulf. On 5 March, various members of the London-based International Group of Protection and Indemnity Clubs will automatically terminate war-risk cover if vessels enter the [...]
Spring Statement: Rachel Reeves ‘in denial’ as growth slumps March 4, 2026 Rachel Reeves has been accused of being “in denial” as she insisted that her economic plan was working even as growth forecasts were slashed and unemployment was predicted to surpass pandemic-era highs. Responding to yesterday’s Spring Statement, shadow chancellor Mel Stride said Labour’s economic agenda, which has raised the tax burden to a post-war high, [...]
Reeves says ‘everything is fine’ as economy burns March 4, 2026 Having stripped the ‘fiscal’ element from the fiscal event, we were left with simply an event. But was it even that? It could have been called an occasion, but even that might have been stretching it. What we actually got was a Spring Statement that amounted to little more than a Labour party conference speech. [...]
Voters say Starmer should resign over Mandelson affair March 4, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer should resign over his handling of the Peter Mandelson scandal as his apology failed to deal with allegations of sleaze within the Labour Party, the majority of voters believe. The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters has found that over half of Brits (59 per cent) believe Starmer should have [...]
Trump laments collapse of special relationship amid brawl with Starmer March 3, 2026 President Trump has described the breakdown of the special relationship as “very sad” amid a spat with Sir Keir Starmer on the UK’s refusal to allow military bases to be used for attacks on the Iranian regime. Trump has hit out at Starmer for the second consecutive day, claiming the Prime Minister had not been [...]
Spring Statement Live: UK growth cut for 2026 but Reeves touts future forecasts March 3, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Rachel Reeves delivered her Spring Statement today, as the Office for Budget Responsibility published its updated forecasts for the years ahead. The Chancellor was handed quite a hefty blow with the UK’s growth estimate for 2026 slashed to 1.1 per cent from 1.4 per cent the year prior. [...]
Reeves delivers Spring Statement as war rages and markets tremble March 3, 2026 Spare a thought for Rachel Reeves. She had hoped to make a Spring Statement that nobody noticed and yet today she has to deliver it as war rages in the Middle East, triggering warnings of energy price shocks, instability and inflation. There is a very real prospect that the economic forecasts to which the Chancellor [...]
Greens close gap with Labour in polls after historic by-election win March 3, 2026 The Greens are now biting at the heels of the Labour Party in national polling after its candidate Hannah Spencer stormed to a historic by-election win in Gorton and Denton last week. The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll puts the Greens on 15 per cent, with Labour ahead of them by three points, a smaller [...]
Reeves to deliver ‘stability’ Spring Statement amid turmoil in Iran March 3, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to deliver a Spring Statement trumpeting the UK’s economic stability against the backdrop of a war in the Middle East, with official forecasts expected to touch on lower growth, falling inflation and higher unemployment over the coming months. In an address to the House of Commons around 12.30pm today, Reeves [...]
Trump and Starmer in row over use of UK military bases March 2, 2026 President Trump has said he is “very disappointed” in Sir Keir Starmer after the UK initially refused to allow the US to use military bases to organise attacks on Iran over the weekend. Trump has said the Prime Minister “took far too long” to change his mind in allowing military bases to be used after [...]