Rachel Reeves hosts Scott Bessent and finance execs for investment talks September 16, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves hosted US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent and top dogs from most of the world’s biggest finance firms in a warm-up event ahead of President Donald Trump’s UK arrival on Tuesday evening. City firms including Barclays, HSBC and Revolut sent representatives to Downing Street, where they were joined by bosses from top Wall [...]
State pension boost raises questions on tax and triple lock future September 16, 2025 While pensioners may be cheering a proposed 4.7 per cent rise in the state pension, there are lingering questions over the sustainability of such increases and the viability of the triple lock itself. The proposed uplift means that payments to retirees are on track to rise by more than £560, bringing the new full state [...]
Donald Trump to Keir Starmer’s rescue – or torment? September 16, 2025 President Donald Trump will look out of Air Force One’s windows to see England’s green and pleasant land before arriving this afternoon. He will surely be giddy with excitement about his meeting with the King and a very royal carriage procession inside Windsor Castle’s grounds tomorrow. He will also be pleased to see his unlikely [...]
I find Tommy Robinson repulsive, so why did so many march behind him? September 16, 2025 I struggled to identify the most significant elements of Saturday’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march in London. Was it the fact that 150,000 (mostly) ordinary people took to the streets in a (mostly) peaceful protest against large-scale immigration? Or was it that they were called to do so by a man who has served multiple prison [...]
Rule of law key to UK economic growth, says Attorney General September 16, 2025 The rule of law and trust in British institutions are essential to driving economic growth and attracting global investment, the UK’s Attorney General will say. Lord Hermer KC, Attorney General, is set to speak on Tuesday evening at an event hosted by the Sheriffs of the City of London for the launch of the Legal [...]
Labour to face awkward questions on Mandelson hours before Trump’s arrival September 15, 2025 Labour ministers will have to answer awkward questions in parliament on the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington hours before President Donald Trump lands in the UK for a state visit. The Speaker of the House, Lindsay Hoyle, has granted an emergency debate, requested by the Tories, over Mandelson’s dismissal as ambassador and [...]
Can Peter Kyle deliver a Budget lifeline for UK’s SMEs? September 15, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to deliver her Autumn Budget on 26 November, nearly a month later than usual, and eyes are on what she will do for the SMEs. With borrowing costs hitting their highest levels since 1998, and servicing the national debt topping £100bn a year, the government has been urged to maintain fiscal [...]
EU far-right Patriots engulfed in legal battles over funding headwinds September 15, 2025 Europe’s far-right Patriots for Europe is engaged in legal action over the European Parliament’s accusation that it misused funds, as well as a battle to have withheld public funds returned. The Patriots for Europe, formerly the Identity and Democracy Party, surged to the third-largest group in the Parliament following the European election held last year, [...]
Tory MP Danny Kruger defects to Reform September 15, 2025 Kemi Badenoch has suffered a major blow after sitting Tory MP Danny Kruger defected from to Reform. The Wiltshire MP has been put in charge of Nigel Farage’s preparations for government, in a major coup for the insurgent party that has been dominating the opinion polls. At an event on Monday morning, Kruger announced that [...]
Keir Starmer ‘has until May’ as polling sends warning shot September 15, 2025 Keir Starmer has been told he has until next May’s local elections to turn fortunes around as polling has sent the prime minister an ominous warning about his future. The Prime Minister is facing intense pressure from Labour MPs after new questions were raised about his appointment and judgment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to [...]