Ministers are sacrificing growth for votes, say top business bosses Economics Government ministers have undermined the UK’s long-term economic interests by becoming “trapped” into making poor short-term policy decisions to appease voters, Britain’s top business bosses have warned. The group of corporate leaders, which include Natwest chair Rick Haythornthwaite, Heathrow chair Philip Jansen and Barratt Redrow chair Caroline Silver, said successive governments have failed to prioritise [...]
MPs want overhaul of Heathrow regulation before third runway Business Nearly nine in 10 members of parliament do not think Heathrow’s ambitious third runway expansion should go ahead unless there is a major overhaul of its regulatory framework to help bring down costs. A fresh poll of British lawmakers found that 84 per cent are reluctant to vote through the historic expansion without the west [...]
Heathrow warns on losing European crown without expansion Transport & Infrastructure Heathrow Airport has kicked off the new year with a shattering of its previous traffic record but has offered a stark warning it could lose its crown without progress on expansion. Some 6.5m passengers travelled through the airport in January, marking a 2.2 per cent increase on last year and making it the busiest January [...]
VAT-free shopping debacle has sent tourists packing January 13, 2026 Five years on from the demise of VAT-free shopping, retail and hospitality chiefs say the impact is still causing pain as the industry seeks change, writes Joanna Hodgson Five years ago this month a change came in that might, on the surface , have prompted the average British shopper to get their smallest violins out: [...]
London Luton Airport says investment at risk due to Labour’s taxes January 7, 2026 A £2.5bn proposal to expand one of London’s top airports is facing fresh challenges amid rising tax burdens, as the aviation sector feels the pain of Rachel Reeves’ business rates raid. The owner of Luton Airport, Labour-run Luton Council, had put together plans to build a new terminal and increase capacity from 18m to 32m [...]
Jump in winter sun breaks as wealthy Brits prioritise wellness December 23, 2025 Wealthy Brits are flocking to sunny hotspots abroad over the Christmas season with wellness among the top priorities for holidaymakers, fresh data has found. More than one in three (34 per cent) Britons say they plan to travel abroad this winter for a warmer escape, according to survey data compiled by Four Seasons, with almost [...]
Heathrow ‘under pressure’ amid rising costs December 19, 2025 Heathrow Airport has warned that rising employment costs and the government’s controversial business rates overhaul will wipe out the additional revenues generated from a record number of passengers passing through the west London hub. In an update to bondholders, the UK’s largest airport revealed its profit had plummeted by 38 per cent in the nine [...]
2025: It’s been one hell of a year for UK business December 11, 2025 From political drama to market volatility, cyber attacks, takeovers and trade wars – 2025 has not been plain sailing. January: motor finance and angry farmers We began the year reporting on the exodus from the London stock exchange noting that 2024 had been the quietest year on record for new listings and we suggested that [...]
Flying taxis to slash Heathrow to City trip to 12 minutes December 10, 2025 Commuting from Heathrow to central London may soon be a thing of the past. Vertical Aerospace, founded by the man behind OVO energy, has unveiled Valo, its next generation aircraft designed for quick, zero emission airport to city travel. While the British electric aviation giant’s shares have seen a 94 per cent decline since its [...]
Rival Heathrow bidder vows to plough on despite proposal snub November 26, 2025 The hotel billionaire behind a rival bid to develop Heathrow’s third runway has vowed to continue his pursuit to oversee the expansion despite ministers favouring a proposal submitted by the hub’s current owner that involves rerouting the M25. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed on her decision to proceed with the £49bn vision from Heathrow Airport [...]