Healey told tax rises for fiscal remedy are ‘not required’ August 20, 2026 Chancellor John Healey does not have to raise taxes to offer the UK economy “immediate remedial action” at the Budget, a top City economist has said. Panmure Liberum economist Simon French, who formerly worked at the Treasury, said the fiscal outlook for the government would be “broadly in the same position” as in the beginning [...]
Incoming FRC chair sits on board of construction group facing criminal probe August 19, 2026 The woman in line to become chair of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) sits on the board of a company currently under criminal investigation, City AM can reveal. Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia was named by the government last month as the next chair of the accounting watchdog and is set to take over in September when [...]
Inflation leaps to 2.9 per cent in blow to Burnham August 19, 2026 Inflation has leaped up following the reset of the energy price cap, official data has revealed, marking the likely beginning of a long run of increases in price growth. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) put the consumer price index inflation reading at 2.9 per cent for the 12 months to July. The previous inflation [...]
Tories say households could save £540 a year by scrapping net zero August 18, 2026 The Conservatives have said that households could save about £540 a year after 2030 if net zero regulations are scrapped with a commitment to make energy as cheap as possible. A report published by centre-right think tank Onward and backed by the Tories said the cost of net zero came to an extra £540 per [...]
Industry chief warns ‘resilience not enough’ for growth August 18, 2026 The boss of Britain’s largest industry body has warned the government that “resilience alone” would not boost growth in the UK, firing the starting gun on two months of policy lobbying ahead of a pivotal Autumn Budget. Writing exclusively for City AM, the boss of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has urged the government [...]
Labour backbencher adds to criticism of stamp duty on shares August 17, 2026 A Labour backbencher with experience in the financial services sector has urged Healey to reconsider stamp duty on shares in UK trading. Callum Anderson, the Labour MP for Buckingham and Bletchley, set out a list of growth policies for Healey to prioritise at the Budget. The proposals break from some of the party’s current economic [...]
Jenrick: Welfare cuts worth £50bn allows us to ‘sustainably pay’ triple lock pension August 17, 2026 Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick has said a £50bn welfare cut plan allows the state to “sustainably pay” for the triple lock pension. In a press conference on Monday, Jenrick said plans to strip welfare from around 3m people, including foreign nationals, would be the biggest overhaul of the benefits system in a generation. Jenrick said [...]
JP Morgan boss issues bank tax warning to John Healey August 17, 2026 The boss of JP Morgan has issued a bank tax warning to John Healey as the Chancellor gears up to deliver his first Budget in October. Jamie Dimon, who has led Wall Street’s biggest bank since 2006, held a call with Healey on Thursday where the bank chief emphasised “getting public policy right” as crucial [...]
What Burnham’s Sporting Events Bill means for brands and media owners August 16, 2026 As Andy Burnham’s government presses on with the Sporting Events Bill, what does it mean for brands and media owners? The World Cup may have wrapped up, but the sporting calendar is relentless, and brands and media owners will already be preparing for the next big event. Indeed, the domestic football season has already kicked [...]
Tory and Labour councillors spar over £300m Hammersmith Bridge plans August 14, 2026 Tensions are mounting between Labour and Tory councillors in nearby authorities over restoration plans for Hammersmith Bridge, which has been closed to motorists for seven years. Arch rivals in Hammersmith & Fulham and Wandsworth councils have sparred over an application to a £1bn government fund for infrastructure. The lack of progress over the bridge’s repair [...]