Brexit U-turn? Burnham says he is taking ‘pragmatic’ approach on EU October 12, 2026 Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will take a “pragmatic” approach to boosting relations with the European Union just a fortnight after he suggested he could explore a full return to the world’s largest economic bloc. Burnham told MPs on Monday that a summit with EU leaders would take place on 20 November, where [...]
Triple lock reform and scrapping IHT: Voters give thumbs up to Labour and Tory policies October 12, 2026 Andy Burnham’s pledge to reform the state pension triple lock and Kemi Badenoch’s plan to scrap inheritance taxes on family homes have both received a stamp of approval from voters, new polling has shown. The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters showed that the British public back the major policies announced by the [...]
AI minister warns of ‘inevitable’ cyber attack on UK as he tells labs to ‘be honest’ October 12, 2026 Britain cannot rely on tech giants to police their own AI systems, the government has warned, as ministers prepare new measures to protect businesses and national security from increasingly powerful artificial intelligence. AI minister Kanishka Narayan warned that a major AI-powered cyber incident hitting the UK is “inevitable” as he called for a national effort [...]
Oil prices waver as Trump pushes for dubious Ukraine-Russia ‘ceasefire’ October 12, 2026 Oil prices remained above the $100 mark on Monday morning after President Trump hailed a deal with Russia’s President Putin that would lead to the supply of millions of barrels of diesel to the US and global markets. Brent crude oil futures, a benchmark for international prices, fell by about 0.6 per cent to $104 [...]
One pub shuts every day as Burnham tax cuts ‘not enough’ October 12, 2026 A pub is set to have closed its doors every day this year, as hospitality leaders say Andy Burnham’s tax cuts for hospitality have not gone far enough. About 360 pubs are expected to have called last orders in the whole of 2026, with 295 watering holes having shut for good so far this year, [...]
Retail bosses ramp up pressure on Healey to cut ‘ridiculous’ tax burden October 11, 2026 The bosses of Marks & Spencer and John Lewis have piled further pressure on the government to slash the “ridiculous” tax burden facing high street firms. Stuart Machin, chief executive of M&S, called on Chancellor John Healey to “restore hope” within the retail industry by turning a corner from Labour’s last two budgets, which he [...]
Number 10 launches aviation charm offensive after Burnham third runway remarks October 10, 2026 Andy Burnham’s Downing Street operation has been privately reassuring members of the aviation sector of its support for Heathrow’s third runway expansion, despite the Prime Minister refusing to give the megaproject his backing in a string of media appearances over Labour party conference. City AM understands that Number 10 has been trying to patch up [...]
Midday Markets: Burnham’s welcome crack down on pesky non-competes October 9, 2026 The Midday Market report is a new newsletter from City AM, giving you fresh analysis on the City’s biggest stories straight into your inbox every lunchtime. Today, Ali Lyon outlines the positive case for Andy Burnham’s clampdown on non-competes and lengthy notice periods. You know something is wrong with the upper end of Britain’s labour [...]
Burnham to clamp down on ‘unfair’ non-compete clauses October 9, 2026 Andy Burnham is expected to launch a crackdown on lengthy notice periods and non-compete clauses in employment contracts in a bid to free up the jobs market for highly skilled workers. In a speech later today, the Prime Minister will announce plans to tackle a proliferation of strict employment conditions, which force staff to give [...]
Badenoch puts Tories on difficult path to the right destination October 8, 2026 Party conference season has come to an end, having barely registered for most voters beyond an extra dose of politics on the news and in their feeds. Party leaders always have to balance two audiences: their supporters in the hall and the sceptics at home. As a new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham’s conference speech was [...]