Government to inject millions into electric vehicle firms despite mandate backlash August 10, 2026 The government will invest £65m into firms producing zero-emission vehicles, despite backlash from the automotive industry over its controversial electric vehicle mandate. The funding includes £50m for car firms and research partners to help produce electric vehicles at a larger scale. The Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade said the funding would support 1,800 [...]
Burnham facing calls to cut employment red tape as job seekers grow for 41 months August 10, 2026 The government is facing calls to strip red tape around employment after the pool of people looking for jobs in the UK grew for a 41st consecutive month. The number of people on the hunt for work has now grown for nearly three and a half years while the number of available jobs has declined [...]
Stop burying us in swollen corporate reports, says audit watchdog boss August 9, 2026 The boss of the audit watchdog has warned that the size of annual reports has swelled out of control, costing directors too much time. Richard Moriarty, chief executive of the Financial Reporting Council, said the costs and expectations surrounding annual reports have steadily ballooned as more companies devote pages to environmental, social and governance issues [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown orders staff back to office August 9, 2026 The UK’s largest DIY investment site is ordering employees back to the office from the start of next year. Hargreaves Lansdown will order its staff into the workplace for three days a week, shortly after the firm moves into its new Bristol office. The wealth manager, which was acquired by buyout firms including CVC Capital [...]
Burnham to unveil new cost of living measures on UK tour August 9, 2026 Prime minister Andy Burnham will start a national tour on Monday to hear Brits’ concerns about the cost of living and unveil a series of measures to provide financial support. Burnham plans to use the national tour to tell voters about his 10-year plan for the UK, while also announcing his new policies to “give [...]
How Britain can stay clear of rivals as home of overseas sport club owners August 9, 2026 Sport is more political than ever. Matt Sutton asks how clubs navigate the geopolitical risks in 2026. Ownership and investment have become increasingly international, with sports clubs, leagues and governing bodies relying on global capital to drive growth. For years an argument has been rumbling on about whether it’s right to have foreign investment in [...]
Why HMRC is huge Premier League transfer window tax headache August 8, 2026 Is HMRC the biggest barrier stopping a healthier Premier League football transfer system, Alistair Culverwell asks. Another World Cup ended after high drama on the pitch and off the pitch,it was the scene of high stakes deal-making as clubs negotiated with agents to secure the most sought after talent – particularly players who shone. And [...]
Thames Water faces fresh threat to survival after pensions regulation breach August 8, 2026 Thames Water is facing a fresh threat to its survival after breaching pensions regulations, opening up the possibility of a costly probe. The Reading-based business, which could run out of cash as soon as December, missed a statutory deadline at the end of June to value its company pension scheme and is now facing a [...]
Back to basics: Sainsbury’s gradual retreat from the British high street August 8, 2026 Sainsbury’s deal to sell its catalogue retailer Argos marks the latest step in the grocer’s years-long retreat from a high street conglomerate back to its core food business. The FTSE 100 supermarket giant holds a 15 per cent market share of grocery stores, second only to Tesco. But the firm once had a sprawling business [...]
El Nino heatwaves to ‘fuel inflation next year’ August 7, 2026 The ‘Super El Nino’ triggering record temperatures across Europe could add a full percentage point to inflation next year, hampering central bank efforts to slow down price rises, a top investment bank has warned. According to an analysis by Jefferies, harsh weather unleashed by the meteorological phenomenon will pose “an inflationary threat” next year and [...]