Oxford Street pedestrianisation boosts sales, survey finds October 6, 2025 The pedestrianisation of Oxford Street led to higher sales at the majority of stores on the busy high street, a new survey has found, with business chiefs praising efforts to make traffic-free days more frequent. Oxford Street was closed to traffic for eight hours on Sunday 21st September in a pilot test for further plans [...]
Capital gains tax raid should have ‘health warning’, Labour warned October 6, 2025 Labour risks stunting growth and discouraging investment if it pursues further capital gains hikes, tax advisers have warned, as reforms proposed by top think tanks were pushed back on by industry figures. Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer have talked up the prospects of attracting investment in the UK and making the wider tax system fairer [...]
Kildunne and Maher honoured with Barbie dolls, celebrating women’s sport October 6, 2025 England Red Roses star Ellie Kildunne has been honoured with her own Barbie doll alongside US sensation Ilona Maher. The pair are two of four players – alongside New Zealand’s Portia Woodman and France’s Nassira Konde – to have dolls created for them by Barbie owner Mattel. It comes after the Red Roses partnered with [...]
Mayor of London to move ahead with plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street October 6, 2025 The mayor of London has confirmed he is ploughing ahead with “bold proposals” to pedestrianise Oxford Street after claiming a one-day traffic ban significantly boosted the local economy. Footfall in the West End area was 45 per cent higher on the day when traffic was prohibited from accessing a half-mile stretch of road from Orchard [...]
Reeves and Goldman chief to pitch London to IPO candidates October 5, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves will pitch to London Stock Exchange flotation candidates alongside one of the City’s top bankers, in her bid to revive interest in the struggling UK market. First reported by Sky News, Reeves and Lucy Rugby, the newly appointed City minister, will host a group of company bosses on Monday to discuss “the [...]
Home Secretary denies ministerial interference amid dropped Chinese spy case October 5, 2025 Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said she was “very disappointed” about the collapse of a major Chinese spying case but denied there was any ministerial interference. The case against Christoper Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, was due to start at Woolwich crown count on Monday, but was dropped on 15 September, a move [...]
Kemi Badenoch: My approach will “pay off eventually” October 5, 2025 Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has insisted her approach to changing the struggling party will “pay off eventually” as she battles dwindling voter support. In an interview with BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Badenoch stressed that she would not “rush out” new policies and instead take the time needed to “get it right”. She acknowledged that the Conservative [...]
Jaguar Land Rover to bailout suppliers after state ‘rescue’ stalls October 5, 2025 Jaguar Land Rover is finalising a deal to lend its suppliers millions of pounds as the tax-payer backed rescue of the carmaker hit a wall. Bosses are putting the final touches to a sweeping lifeline that would see up to £500m be injected into its supply chain, which is at a standstill. The privately funded [...]
Former Home Secretary backs Phillipson for Labour deputy leader October 5, 2025 Former home secretary, Alan Johnson, has endorsed education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, to become Labour’s next deputy leader, after warning that Powell could be divisive. Johnson suggested Phillipson’s rival, Lucy Powell, may not have entered the race had she not been sacked from the cabinet in last month’s major reshuffle, before warning she could “destabilise the [...]
Luxury brands in sport: F1 leading the way, but for how long? October 5, 2025 Take one minute to watch some of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix this weekend and you’ll struggle not to lock eyes with a luxury brand being splashed on an advertising hoarding or chassis panel. One year ago this month LVMH – parent company of the likes of Louis Vuitton, Dior, Moet & Chandon, Tiffany [...]