EU reset: Government face backlash on meat and dairy regulatory alignment April 15, 2025 The government is facing a backlash over reported plans to align with EU regulations on meat and dairy products. UK officials have suggested to European Union (EU) counterparts that Britain could be willing to accept alignment with EU rules on fresh meat and dairy, and to accept oversight of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), [...]
British Steel: ‘All options on table’ over nationalising Scunthorpe, Starmer says April 8, 2025 The UK is keeping “all options on the table” over the potential nationalisation of the Chinese-owned British Steel plant in Scunthorpe, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Prime Minister insisted he understood the importance of the plant, which is Britain’s last remaining steelmaker, in a Q&A with the House of Commons Liaison Committee, after its [...]
UK services and composite PMIs underwhelm economists April 3, 2025 The UK service sector saw a “modest expansion” in March but economists overestimated S&P Global’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) readings for the month. S&P Global’s latest composite PMI reading, which takes an average of manufacturing and services output for the month, came in at 51.5. The figure points to a slight expansion in UK output [...]
Spring Statement 2025: Rachel Reeves’ popularity nears Kwasi Kwarteng levels March 28, 2025 Rachel Reeves’ popularity rating as Chancellor has neared Kwasi Kwarteng levels after the mini-Budget, following the Spring Statement on Wednesday. She set out £14bn in welfare and spending cuts in the House of Commons, including a £4.8bn squeeze on benefits, to restore the £9.9bn headroom she had at the Autumn Budget, which would otherwise have [...]
Bloomberg breaks record for the largest private donation to London Museum March 18, 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies has broken the record for the largest private donation to the London Museum, with a gift of £20m and a world-renowned collection of Roman artefacts. London Museum will use the money to aid its move from 150 London Wall to Smithfield market, which is currently scheduled for completion in 2026. The artefacts, which [...]
Ministers must get a grip of broken benefits system, Reeves insists March 15, 2025 Rachel Reeves has doubled down on the need to reform the welfare system, insisting the government must “get a grip” on it amid concerns from Labour MPs about the impact of expected cuts to the budget. The benefits system is “broken” and is “not working for anyone”, the Chancellor said. Backbench Labour MPs have made [...]
Davos: Reeves defends fiscal rules and says Heathrow expansion is ‘pro-growth’ January 22, 2025 Rachel Reeves has insisted the UK would continue to meet her “fiscal rules”, describing them as the “bedrock” of the stability she aims to restore to the economy and public finances. The Chancellor spoke at a Bloomberg event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector [...]
FTSE 100 to outperform S&P 500 in 2025 says Wall Street January 3, 2025 Equity analysts have predicted that the FTSE 100 will have a record year in 2025, helped by lower interest rates and higher oil prices. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Wall Street analysts believe the UK’s flagship blue-chip index will jump 15 per cent in 2025, its best year since 2009. In 2024, the index [...]
Employer national insurance raid could lead to 130,000 jobs being slashed November 28, 2024 Analysis from Bloomberg Economics suggests that up to 130,000 jobs could be lost if firms responded to the tax hike primarily by cutting employment.
Reeves hails £63bn boost for Britain at flagship investment summit October 14, 2024 Reeves welcomed the investment news, insisting her “ambition for Britain burns brighter than ever”, while the government said the deals will see some 38,000 new jobs created in the UK.