AI minister hints at Budget measures as UK weighs tougher tech rules October 23, 2026 AI minister Kanishka Narayan has hinted at new measures in next week’s Budget, as the government considers tougher regulation of AI alongside plans to reduce Britain’s dependence on foreign technology. Narayan said ministers must go beyond regulating AI and develop domestic technology to give Britain greater influence over how it is used. Speaking on BBC’s [...]
Doubts over £458m gambling tax plan emerge days before Budget October 23, 2026 A week before the Budget, questions have emerged about the evidence behind a proposed £458m gambling tax rise, after internal comments revealed doubts among the campaigners that were pushing for the increase. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) told City AM that the comments, which appeared in a draft report by the Social Market Foundation [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 slides as oil surges to five-month high October 23, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM FTSE 100 liveblog. It’s Friday morning and London’s blue-chip index is set for a flat open as pressures on markets persist. The price of a barrel of oil has surged to $114 per barrel, trading at its highest level in over five months. It follows escalating Houthi attacks on [...]
Budget 2026: Sainsbury’s boss urges Labour to tackle Neets crisis October 22, 2026 The boss of Sainsbury’s has urged the government to tackle the UK’s youth unemployment crisis, as he hit out at previous hikes to the cost of hiring workers. Simon Roberts, chief executive of the UK’s second-largest grocer, said John Healey must “focus on doing the right thing for young people” at next week’s Budget. In [...]
Ditching a damaging capital gains tax rise doesn’t make Healey a pro-growth Chancellor October 22, 2026 Although the government has ruled out raising Capital Gains Tax in the upcoming budget, Labour’s broader tax and spending policies remain economically damaging, uncompetitive, and fundamentally misguided, says Daniel Herring The government needs to find money for the upcoming Budget. Having ruled out the least damaging and broadest-based tax rises, Labour needs to resort to [...]
Our national debt is a crisis but at least we got a good dance track out of it October 22, 2026 Monday 24 November 2008, and MPs are gripped by one of the most consequential parliamentary debates of the past 30 years. As Chancellor, the late Alistair Darling had just told the House that his pre-Budget statement was being “made against a background of economic uncertainty not seen for generations” and that they had gathered in [...]
Budget 2026: Consumer confidence tumbles as Healey urged to slow ‘tsunami of costs’ October 22, 2026 John Healey has been urged to tackle the “tsunami of costs” facing firms as consumer confidence tumbled ahead of the crucial Budget next week. Brits’ confidence in the state of the economy worsened from -32 to -40 in October, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)’s index, marking the third consecutive month of deteriorating sentiment. [...]
Budget 2026: Healey warned betting tax hikes could hit non-league football October 21, 2026 The Chancellor has been warned that tax rises on betting operators could have an impact on non-league football amid duty hike fears at next week’s Budget. Chancellor John Healey will next week deliver Andy Burnham’s first Budget since his coronation as Prime Minister earlier this year, and taxes are expected to be jacked up on [...]
Bank of England set to overshadow Healey’s Budget with interest rate hike October 21, 2026 The Bank of England is expected to overshadow John Healey’s maiden Budget with a “done deal” interest rate hike aiming to tame soaring inflation while risking economic growth. Top City economists predict the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will raise the base rate at its November meeting, just one week after the Autumn Budget. [...]
Budget 2026: If Healey really thinks banks are a jewel in the crown why is he raising taxes? October 21, 2026 Banks already pay billions in tax. If John Healey really wants to Budget for growth, investment and predictability, he should keep taxes stable, says David Postings Chancellor John Healey recently described banking as the “jewel” in the “British economic crown”. I completely agree. I have worked in banking for decades. Born in Wolverhampton, I know [...]