Top Burnham adviser calls for capital gains and inheritance tax hikes June 28, 2026 Andy Burnham’s top adviser has called for capital gains and inheritance tax to be hiked and the fiscal rules to be loosened so the government can borrow billions. Ex-transport secretary Louise Haigh, who led Burnham’s Makerfield campaign and is set to take a senior position in his Cabinet, is also pushing to dismantle the Treasury. [...]
Good call: How Wimbledon’s comms help it to avoid break points June 28, 2026 Wimbledon’s success lies in heritage, prestige and scale but its disciplined communications also give it a competitive advantage, writes Jess Chan. Wimbledon is one of the most commercially successful institutions in global sport. I won’t dispute that its heritage is to be credited for its prestigious reputation. But its biggest competitive advantage is how it [...]
Mahmood unveils refugee sponsorship route as asylum bill faces Labour test June 27, 2026 Home secretary Shabana Mahmood has unveiled plans for businesses and universities to sponsor refugees to come to Britain, as she seeks to shore up support for a wider asylum overhaul expected to face resistance from parts of Labour. The Home Office said it would introduce new “capped safe and legal” routes from later this year, [...]
World Cup: How brands will activate as the knockouts begin June 27, 2026 Most eyes will be firmly fixed on the pitch as the World Cup enters the knockout phase next week. But for the discerning observer, there is another contest playing out in the background: what are the sponsors up to? With marketing and sponsorship deals related to the World Cup reported to generate between $2.5bn and [...]
Exclusive: Richard Caring in talks to buy City icon 1 Lombard Street June 27, 2026 Richard Caring is in advanced talks to buy iconic City restaurant 1 Lombard Street, marking his first foray back into the restaurant business since the £1.4bn sale of his empire. A deal for the Lombard St restaurant, located in a stunning former banking hall, is understood to be in the final stages of negotiations following [...]
Volkswagen’s China crunch deepens as Europe’s biggest carmaker weighs 100,000 job cuts June 27, 2026 Volkswagen is weighing up to 100,000 job cuts as Europe’s biggest carmaker accelerates a sweeping overhaul after admitting the manufacturing model that underpinned decades of German industrial success can no longer compete in a market reshaped by Chinese rivals. The German automotive giant is reportedly considering almost doubling previously announced workforce reductions while shutting four [...]
Apple eyes blacklisted Chinese supplier to ease chip shortage June 27, 2026 Apple has reportedly lobbied the Trump administration for permission to buy memory chips from a Chinese manufacturer blacklisted by the Pentagon, as the AI boom continues to squeeze global semiconductor supplies. The iPhone maker has approached US officials seeking reassurance over sourcing memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), according to the Financial Times, after [...]
Why sport fans got bored of influencers and forced brands into a mind shift June 27, 2026 Are we a sport generation that loves influencers or hates them? Jack Moriarty looks at how brands have changed their approach Sport has never just been about who wins and who loses. For fans, it’s a vehicle that allows them to escape from their everyday lives and connect with something deeper. That Saturday afternoon on [...]
Heatwave fans demand for aircon stocks June 26, 2026 Investors have been piling into air conditioning stocks as global heatwaves and the spread of data centres drive demand for cooling systems. Shares in global leading heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) firms have recorded sharp increases in recent months, with Tokyo-listed Daikin Industries up 23.91 per cent to 24,050.00 yen (£118.50) since the start [...]
Lessons in comms from my children’s primary school June 26, 2026 As the London heatwave sends primary schools into meltdown, comms expert Adam Smith reflects on what we can learn.