UK labour market weakens as hiring and pay growth cools February 8, 2026 The UK labour market continued to lose momentum at the start of 2026, with falling employment, weak hiring demand and easing wage growth reinforcing signs of a sustained slowdown. BDO’s Employment Index fell for a third consecutive month in January to 93.30, its lowest level since March 2011, as businesses pulled back on recruitment amid persistent cost [...]
Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney resigns over Mandelson appointment February 8, 2026 The chief of staff to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has resigned following mounting criticism over the appointment of Peter Mandelson to the US ambassadorship. Morgan McSweeney – who succeeded Sue Gray to the post in October 2024 – said the decision to nominate Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US was “wrong” and he [...]
Union bosses call for another workers’ rights push amid Labour turmoil February 8, 2026 Union bosses are capitalising on the turmoil across the Labour party leadership to push for another major workers’ rights shakeup as Prime Minister Keir Starmer tries to fend of a rebellion from the left. The government is being urged to go beyond its manifesto commitments and hand all workers the right to guaranteed hours – [...]
Peter Mandelson should return five-figure payoff after being sacked, says minister February 8, 2026 A Cabinet minister and key ally of the Prime Minister has said Peter Mandelson should return the payoff he bagged after being sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told Sky News Mandelson should “give [the payoff] back or give it to a charity, perhaps one involving violence [...]
Why Winter Olympians make good City entrepreneurs February 8, 2026 Olympians and entrepreneurs have a lot in common. Both are highly driven in the pursuit of their goals and work tirelessly to achieve them. This is why many top-performing athletes turn to the world of start-ups and entrepreneurship when retiring from full-time sport. High-performing individuals need to channel their energy into something, and when sport [...]
Why OpenAI and Anthropic are really fighting about ads February 7, 2026 The public spat between OpenAI and Anthropic over ads inside chatbots was noisy, but the substance sits elsewhere. This is an early test example of how AI platforms intend to fund themselves without undermining user trust. Anthropic’s decision to air Super Bowl campaigns mocking the idea of ads inside AI assistants was done with clear, [...]
Lib Dems urge FCA probe into Mandelson leaks February 7, 2026 The Liberal Democrats have called on the UK’s financial watchdog to immediately investigate Peter Mandelson, warning that his alleged sharing of confidential government information with Jeffrey Epstein may have led to insider trading during the financial crisis. In a letter to Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), chief executive Nikhil Rathi, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said it was “crucial” to establish whether [...]
NatWest nears £2.5bn Evelyn Partners takeover February 7, 2026 NatWest Group is closing in on a £2.5bn takeover of Evelyn Partners, in what would be its biggest corporate acquisition since the bank’s taxpayer bailout in 2008. NatWest Group is in advanced talks to buy the wealth manager from its private equity owners, Sky News reported on Saturday, after seeing off competition from Barclays in recent days. An announcement [...]
Brown dubs Mandelson row as ‘serious’ test for Starmer February 7, 2026 Gordon Brown has increased pressure on Keir Starmer by warning that the controversy surrounding Peter Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein represents a ‘serious’ test of the prime minister’s authority and judgement. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Brown defended Starmer’s personal integrity but said the Labour leader now faced an urgent task to restore trust after appointing [...]
The real Guinness Six Nations showdown is happening in the pub February 7, 2026 As the Guinness Six Nations kicks off, Britain will do what it does best: argue about referees, over-analyse scrums, and drink a respectable amount of beer. And while the games unfold on the pitch, another contest will play out in pubs, feeds and group chats across the country. For beer brands, live sport remains one [...]