City policy chair: new taxes on financial services would threaten our prosperity Opinion The City stands ready to help the Chancellor deliver good growth in every postcode at the Budget, says Chris Hayward Recent years have been challenging for people, policymakers and industry leaders alike. Conflicts have been compounded by subsequent, successive economic shocks; damaging supply chains and leaving less well-prepared boardrooms bewildered. Globally, public finances are under [...]
Has Reform managed to win over the City? Politics Reform UK officials hope that its first-ever Business Day paid dividends at its conference. Maurício Alencar reports on a dramatic 72 hours in Birmingham and asks whether industry chiefs are satisfied with what they’ve heard and seen. Asked for an umbrella phrase to describe Reform’s economic philosophy, policy guru Dr James Orr responded that the [...]
Jenrick refuses to rule out bank tax Politics Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman refused to rule out a banking tax mooted by the party’s leader Nigel Farage, who said he would hit lenders because he didn’t “like” them. Speaking at a Reform conference event organised by City industry representatives, Jenrick said the party had not committed to banking taxes. However, the party’s economic chief [...]
‘They want business on board’: How Reform UK is wooing City chiefs at its conference September 1, 2026 Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is on a mission to win over businesses before the next election. Maurício Alencar and Ali Lyon report on how the party’s upcoming conference in Birmingham could determine its political future. By the time Britain’s executives descend on the Reform UK party conference this week, many will already be well-acquainted with [...]
JP Morgan boss issues bank tax warning to John Healey August 17, 2026 The boss of JP Morgan has issued a bank tax warning to John Healey as the Chancellor gears up to deliver his first Budget in October. Jamie Dimon, who has led Wall Street’s biggest bank since 2006, held a call with Healey on Thursday where the bank chief emphasised “getting public policy right” as crucial [...]
Citi chief’s cowed Trump comments reveal corporate America’s tightrope August 6, 2026 Citi has become a favourite of President Trump during his second term. Chief executive Dame Jane Fraser’s comments in London yesterday may show why, writes Charlie Conchie I sat across the table from Citi’s boss Dame Jane Fraser yesterday as she delivered a blistering warning to Andy Burnham and the new Labour government. For an [...]
Big bank bosses on alert as tax noise gets louder under Burnham August 5, 2026 Banks have delivered booming profits for the first half of the year. In this week’s column Samuel Norman takes a look at how the calls for a tax rise on the sector will get louder under the new Prime Minister. “The saxophones are getting louder” is the internet’s new saying to depict growing anxiety. If you [...]
Lloyds beats profit target as bank sets sights on more cost-cutting July 30, 2026 Lloyds Banking Group beat its profit forecast for the first half of the year as the bank’s top boss laid out plans to make further cost savings in the years ahead. The FTSE 100 lender – which owns the Bank of Scotland and Halifax – recorded a £4.3bn pre-tax profit in the first half of [...]
Mahmood called for banker bonus tax to fix youth unemployment July 17, 2026 Shabana Mahmood has previously called for a tax on banker bonuses to fix youth unemployment in a move that will renew fears the sector could be targeted for a cash grab. The front-runner to be Andy Burnham’s Chancellor was a staunch supporter of a bill set out by Labour in opposition that sought to levy [...]
Burnham set for crunch decision on JP Morgan’s £10bn tower July 16, 2026 Andy Burnham’s government will face a crunch decision on the future of JP Morgan’s flagship tower in Canary Wharf as it weighs whether to uphold a major tax break for the project despite opposition from industry groups. The next Chancellor will serve as the final arbiter on the framework of a business rates exemption for [...]