Next boss Wolfson tells Healey: ‘You can’t spend your way out of a crisis’ September 17, 2026 Lord Wolfson, Next’s chief executive, has urged Chancellor John Healey to cut spending at next month’s Budget, warning, “you can’t spend your way out of a funding crisis”. The retail boss has urged the government to clamp down on spending, avoid further tax hikes and slash planning red tape to boost economic growth. He told [...]
Burnham warns of ‘challenging’ Budget and hits back at ‘socialists with TikTok’ jibe September 16, 2026 Andy Burnham has warned Brits to expect a “challenging” Budget as he hit back at his former adviser for accusing him of being a “socialist with better TikToks”. Burnham’s comments will be interpreted as an indication that tax hikes will likely form part of October’s Budget, as his pledge to give households “breathing space” on [...]
Healey urged to drop ‘death tax’ holding back family businesses September 14, 2026 John Healey has been urged to drop a so-called “death tax” which business leaders say means family firms are losing out to overseas investors. The Chancellor has been told to unwind sweeping reforms to inheritance tax, made by his predecessor Rachel Reeves, which family businesses say undermine the government’s attempts to drive economic growth through [...]
Haigh and Healey to host business chiefs in Downing Street September 14, 2026 Louise Haigh and John Healey will lead meetings with top business chiefs in Downing Street this evening after Andy Burnham cancelled his official engagements following the death of his father. The First Secretary of State will host a roundtable with entrepreneurs, which is set to be followed by an evening drinks reception. The Chancellor and [...]
‘Calm before the storm’: City warns Healey growth spurt won’t last September 11, 2026 The UK economy’s surprise summer growth spurt is set to be “blown away” by a spike in energy prices and a recent surge in the cost of borrowing, economists have warned the government. Fresh figures revealed on Friday that the economy expanded 0.4 per cent in July, ahead of initial forecasts that predicted flat growth. [...]
JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon to meet Chancellor John Healey ahead of Budget September 9, 2026 JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon is set to meet John Healey today ahead of the new Chancellor’s first Budget, City AM understands. The American banker – regarded as one of the most influential figures in global finance – is due to meet Healey in London for the first time following a phone call exchange last [...]
Healey says growth is ‘pathway out of debt’ but bats away tax questions September 7, 2026 Chancellor John Healey said he will “not speculate” on expected tax rises at his maiden Budget next month as he said growth was at the “heart of fiscal challenges” facing the UK. In his first major speech as Chancellor in Coventry, Healey batted away questions about whether businesses and households were set to face another [...]
House prices fall for first time in three years as borrowing costs weigh on buyers September 7, 2026 House prices fell in the year to August in the first annual decrease in nearly three years, as high borrowing costs cause prospective buyers to “sit tight”. The average UK house price edged down 0.2 per last month to £298,468, according to Lloyds’ house price index. This marks a 0.4 per cent year-on-year fall, the [...]
Healey launches £150m northern scale-up fund September 7, 2026 Chancellor John Healey is to pile £150m into start-ups in the North of England as part of the government’s bid to use devolution to drive economic growth. Healey will announce a new fund designed to back university spin outs and other start-ups in Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle. The Chancellor will announce the fund, [...]
Budget tax hikes would be ‘road to ruin,’ Healey warned September 6, 2026 A top business trade body has warned Chancellor John Healey that tax hikes at the October Budget would set the UK on the “road to ruin”. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has urged the Chancellor not to “pile more taxes on firms,” saying that the Treasury should instead cut the costs facing firms to [...]