Labour should be honest about the tax rises to come September 11, 2025 Trying to raise tens of billions of pounds in revenue without touching the three taxes that account for the lion’s share of the total tax haul is like trying to build a bookcase without any nails, screws or glue. You could try it, but you’ll soon regret the attempt. As things stand, Rachel Reeves is [...]
CBI boss calls for Rachel Reeves to break Labour’s tax pledge September 10, 2025 The boss of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has suggested the chancellor should tear up Labour’s manifesto pledge not to raise taxes on working people, as businesses brace themselves ahead of the Autumn Budget. Rachel Reeves is widely expected to introduce a fresh package of tax hikes in her 26 November Budget, in order [...]
Outlook for UK economy ‘remains subdued’ as bosses battle cost hikes September 1, 2025 Private sector bosses are predicting activity to shrink again over the next three months when a fresh bout of inflation is expected to compound cost pressures hoisted upon them at last year’s Autumn Budget. According to the Confederation for British Industry’s (CBI) Growth Indicator, more firms expect trading conditions to worsen in the three months [...]
Services sector in one year of pessimism, CBI suggests August 28, 2025 The UK services sector’s pessimism in business prospects has now lasted a full year, a new survey has found, providing further evidence that the trust between businesses and the Labour government has broken down. Labour ministers have rolled out a number of strategy papers over the last months to offer firms across the country a [...]
Retail sales fall for eleventh consecutive month August 27, 2025 UK retail sales have continued their steady decline as price pressures weigh on already-stretched consumers, according to new data. The CBI’s monitor for annual retail sales was little changed at -32 in August, from -34 in July. “Weak demand and higher labour costs continue to put pressure on margins, dampening sentiment across the retail and [...]
Why business confidence is all over the place August 12, 2025 Kemi Badenoch looked aghast but Keir Starmer was defiant. Business confidence was at a nine-year high, the prime minister declared in the House of Commons in mid-July. The Conservative Party leader was not having any of it. Neither were many economists and analysts watching from the City. What Starmer claimed was not false, per se. Research [...]
Voters say Nigel Farage’s Reform is the ‘party of UK business’ August 5, 2025 Reform UK is now seen as the most pro-business party in Westminster, fresh polling produced for City AM has found, in one of the first major signs the public is warming to Nigel Farage’s economic policies. Political parties have long battled to present themselves as a pro-business party, with Labour’s Chancellor Rachel Reeves wooing company bosses [...]
UK business confidence highest in 10 years, Lloyds Bank says July 31, 2025 UK business confidence is at its highest level in 10 years as the service sector saw the biggest jump in optimism month-on-month, according to Lloyds Bank. Firms were more optimistic for the third consecutive month, with the rise driven by improved trade prospects and an improved economic outlook. Lloyds’ survey suggested hiring intentions had also [...]
Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget still causing negativity – CBI July 30, 2025 A streak of negative business sentiment has now lasted 10 months, a leading industry body has suggested, in further evidence that employers have struggled to turn a page on Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ £40bn tax raid at last year’s Autumn Budget. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly told MPs that business confidence was edging higher, [...]
Fintechs lobby Rachel Reeves for tax incentives to boost listings July 9, 2025 Top British fintech firms have urged Rachel Reeves to provide incentives to list in London or risk losing them to rival markets overseas. Executives from Clearbank, Atom, Revolut and Zilch met the Chancellor on Wednesday morning ahead of the Treasury’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, in which fintech is expected to play a starring [...]