AI fraud surge squeezes UK retail margins as businesses fight back with tech October 13, 2025 UK retailers are under siege from a surge in AI-driven fraud, eroding thin profit margins and forcing a scramble for smarter defences. As economic headwinds bite, fraud losses are climbing, with businesses from high street giants to e-commerce heavyweights investing heavily in technology to stay afloat. Michael Reitblat, chief executive of fraud prevention specialist Forter, [...]
Finance chiefs fear UK is falling behind as Labour growth push falls flat October 13, 2025 UK finance chiefs believe the country is falling behind rivals as costs are stacking up and squeezing profit margins, a new survey has shown, with further alarm bells ringing that businesses are losing faith in Labour’s drive for growth. The government has moved to curry favour with top investment bosses as Rachel Reeves met the [...]
High Court showdown: Mercedes, Ford and Renault stand accused in Dieselgate trial October 13, 2025 Car manufacturing giants, including Mercedes, Ford and Renault, are set to face a lengthy trial at the High Court over allegations they cheated emissions tests. Knicknamed Dieselgate, the largest group claim ever brought in the UK, is set to kick off at the court on Monday morning for a 10-week trial in front of Lady [...]
Rachel Reeves urged to levy one-off wealth tax October 13, 2025 Researchers say Rachel Reeves should introduce a one-off wealth tax to avoid the “direct disincentive” of an annual levy. But the Chancellor risks wreaking havoc on the UK economy unless she breaks Labour manifesto commitments and introduces vast reforms to the wider tax system, according to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). [...]
Co-op warns 150,000 jobs at risk ahead of Autumn Budget October 13, 2025 The Co-op has warned that 60,000 small shops and 150,000 jobs could be lost without business rates reform in next month’s Autumn Budget. The Manchester-headquartered group has said Britain’s high streets “face a critical moment” and that Chancellor Rachel Reeves needs to announce “maximum” business rates relief on 26 November. The call comes after City [...]
Reeves warns the rich will ‘contribute more’ as Budget tax squeeze looms October 12, 2025 Rachel Reeves has signalled that wealthier households will be asked to “contribute more” in her Budget next month, as the chancellor seeks to close a £20–30bn gap in the public finances without cutting spending or taking on new debt. Treasury sources told The Telegraph that Reeves will neither reduce public spending nor expand borrowing significantly, [...]
China fires back at Trump’s 100% tariff threat as markets jitter October 12, 2025 Just a day after president Donald Trump sent global markets reeling with his promise of a fresh 100 per cent tariff on Chinese imports, Beijing has struck back, accusing the US of “double standards” and warning that it could introduce its own countermeasures. A spokesperson for China’s Commerce Ministry said Washington’s threat to punish Beijing [...]
UK small businesses falling behind on AI, Google warns October 12, 2025 New research from Google has revealed a bottleneck in UK small business innovation. Over half, or 59 per cent, of SME owners say they have had to put ‘game changing’ ideas on hold over the past year, citing a lack of time to bring their concepts to life. For many, these stalled ideas are more [...]
China’s London mega-embassy plan in limbo amid site security fears October 12, 2025 China’s plans for a new mega-embassy in central London have been thrown into doubt amid mounting national security concerns that the proposed site sits directly above critical fibre-optic cables linked to the UK’s financial networks. The £750m project at Royal Mint Court, the former home of Britain’s coin-maker, located next to the Tower of London, [...]
William Hill could close 200 betting shops as gambling industry faces mounting tax pressure October 12, 2025 William Hill is eyeing shutting 200 of its UK betting shops as parent company Evoke looks to steady its heavily indebted balance sheet ahead of a potential tax raid in next month’s budget. The move comes as the Gambling Commission and Treasury consider tougher rules and levies for the gambling sector, which has already been [...]