BCC boss: Enough taxes. The Budget must tell a positive story November 25, 2025 Last autumn, the British Chambers of Commerce and its members were left shell-shocked when a party that promised to be the most ‘pro-business in history’ used its maiden Budget to deliver a succession of hammer blows to the private sector. Having shouldered the burden last year, boss Shevaun Haviland wants this year’s instalment to paint [...]
There’s nothing new in Zack Polanski’s fantasy economics November 25, 2025 Let’s go for a lyrical opening to this column: “The newspapers shout a new style is growing, but I don’t know if it’s coming or going, there is fashion, there is fad, some is good, some is bad, and the joke – rather sad – that it’s all just a little bit of history repeating.” [...]
Ex-OBR chiefs: Reeves was warned about productivity downgrade November 25, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves was warned about costly productivity downgrades and should have left a bigger fiscal headroom at the Spring Statement, former Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) officials have said. Speaking to City AM, a number of leading economists raised questions around Reeves’ statements suggesting an OBR review of productivity trend forecasts has forced her [...]
Security minister vows stricter cyber regime after JLR fallout November 24, 2025 Security minister Dan Jarvis has pledged a more hard-edged cyber regime for UK businesses after a series of high-profile attacks on firms including Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Marks & Spencer exposed weaknesses in the country’s digital defences. Speaking at the Parliament & Cyber Conference at Westminster on Monday, Jarvis said cyber incidents had moved [...]
Budget risks stifling UK sports stars of tomorrow, industry warns Reeves November 24, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves risks cutting off the UK’s pipeline of sporting talent with reform of business rates in the Autumn Budget, industry leaders have told City AM. In a wide-ranging survey of governing bodies and other stakeholders across the sector, expected changes to business rates due to be announced by Reeves tomorrow and take effect [...]
What sport wants from the Budget: UK industry leaders share hopes and fears November 24, 2025 Ahead of the Autumn Budget on Wednesday, City AM asked decision-makers from across the UK’s sport sector what they are hoping to hear from Chancellor Rachel Reeves. UK Athletics – Jack Buckner, CEO Major sporting events drive sport. They make us feel good, but they also are profitable. They generate income. It’s challenging putting on [...]
Business secretary admits Labour tax hikes fuelling wealth exodus November 24, 2025 The business secretary has conceded that tax hikes have sparked an exodus of rich Brits, after one of the UK’s richest people fled to Switzerland. Peter Kyle admitted that he is “worried” that super-rich business figures such as Lakshmi Mittal feel they need to leave Britain “in order to succeed”. “There are people starting businesses [...]
OBR to downgrade growth forecasts ‘in every year’ to 2030 November 24, 2025 The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is set to downgrade growth forecasts at the Budget this week for every year of the forecast period amid revisions to trend productivity projections. Sky News reports that the OBR is expected to cut its growth predictions, which have been more optimistic than those published by City forecasters, in [...]
Here’s what to expect on Budget day November 24, 2025 An unusually late and extraordinarily widely briefed Budget has attracted more nerves and anticipation than any in recent memory. So when Rachel Reeves takes to the dispatch box just after midday on Wednesday, she is set to do so with the knowledge that her fate – and the Prime Minister’s – rest on placating at [...]
Peter Kyle: We will not pit businesses against unions November 24, 2025 Peter Kyle has said businesses can contribute to more than two dozen consultations around sweeping measures in the Employment Rights Bill to make themselves heard on extra regulatory costs as the business secretary launched a defence of union bosses’ contributions to reforms. Speaking to an audience of business leaders at the Confederation of British Industry [...]