City firms face FCA clampdown on bullying and harassment Legal City bosses are set for fresh scrutiny over the conduct of their staff as the financial regulator extends a clampdown on non-financial misconduct issues like bullying and harassment. After years of consultation, surveys and industry feedback, the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) new rules on non-financial misconduct in non-banking firms take effect on Tuesday for around [...]
City leaders weigh employment policy alternatives to non-competes Law City businesses are expecting non-compete agreements to become less effective, looking instead to alternatives such as deferred bonus payments or share incentive plans to keep employees on board. In 2025, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) launched a consultation to consider restrictions on non-compete clauses in employment contracts. The consultation closed for feedback in [...]
Was Fifa able to sack senior exec Lamour without consequences? A lawyer explains Sport Business Fifa’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, has been shown the ultimate red card after being sacked from his senior executive role last week. The dismissal followed Lamour’s recent criticism of Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell a stake in Fifa’s tournament business. Despite Fifa U-turning on this decision after a strong backlash, it appears that no [...]
Skilled tech visa applications fall again despite AI talent push August 17, 2026 The number of overseas tech workers applying for UK visas has fallen for a third consecutive year, despite ministers promising to make Britain a magnet for global AI talent. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request by consulting firm RSM UK found that applications from skilled tech workers dropped seven per cent to 34,936 in 2025, [...]
Ten bold ideas to fire up the British economy August 13, 2026 City AM is about to take its traditional two-week break from printing the newspaper. Very French of us, I know. Don’t worry – the team’s not going anywhere and the website, app, newsletters and studios will continue to fire on all cylinders. But since this is the last Editor’s Letter I’ll pen before we fire [...]
Labour’s ‘chaotic’ zero-hour crackdown could cost firms £3bn per year August 12, 2026 Labour’s ‘chaotic’ crackdown on zero-hour contracts could cost businesses nearly £3bn every year, though firms have warned the real cost could spiral even higher. The cost of the new rules, which include offering guaranteed-hour contracts to flexible employees and paying workers for cancelled shifts, has been revealed in a government impact assessment. The reforms could [...]
Jonathan Reynolds’ industrial strategy is straight out of the 60s August 3, 2026 Jonathan Reynolds, the new business secretary, has set out a vision for publicly owned services, with private sector partnerships, still under public control – a baffling vision from some eccentric economic bestiary, says Eliot Wilson Andrew Murray Burnham has been in Downing Street for two weeks now. He promised – new Prime Ministers always promise [...]
Senior exec layoffs surge as firms brace for major employment law change July 8, 2026 Senior exec exits from top businesses have surged since the start of the year as firms quietly clear out highly-paid staff before fresh costs associated with the Employment Rights Act changes come into force. Law firms have seen a “massive uptick in inquiries” from top staff exploring their legal options after being told they face [...]
Zero-hour crackdown could wipe out seasonal work, Labour warned June 2, 2026 Labour has been warned that its controversial crackdown on zero-hour contracts could eradicate seasonal work and put even 20-hour contracts under threat. The government has said it could class 20-hour weeks as a low-hour contract and force firms to offer permanent terms after as little as 12 weeks of work. Retail and hospitality firms have [...]
Jobs crisis: UK unemployment to hit highest level in a decade June 2, 2026 Joblessness is set to hit its highest level in more than a decade as unemployment looks set to increase by 400,000 under the Labour government, according to a top business body. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) warns of a softening labour market, driven by falling vacancies and economic uncertainty, with unemployment projected to rise [...]