GDP set to soften in 2026 as tax hikes bite February 2, 2026 The UK is set for another year of soggy growth, according to new forecasts from EY, with the government’s tax hikes and ongoing worries about a global trade war hamstringing momentum. The Big Four firm predicted that GDP would rise 0.9 per cent in 2026, slower than the 1.4 per cent recorded last year, as [...]
Employment falls despite manufacturing output hitting new high February 2, 2026 Employment across the manufacturing sector dropped despite output jumping to its highest level in 17 months, new data has shown. Manufacturers continued shedding staff due to high pay and tax pressures, according to S&P Global’s latest purchasing managers index (PMI). The poor reading for the labour market came in direct conflict with more positive results [...]
Keir Starmer is scared to death of Andy Burnham February 2, 2026 Blocking Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election shows Starmer is a weak leader whose time in Downing Street will soon be over, says Sacha Lord We are witnessing the beginning of the end of Starmer’s short stint as PM. How is it possible, that someone with such a stomping majority, has [...]
Starmer’s Chinese takeaway leaves a nasty taste February 2, 2026 The Prime Minister returns from China a rather diminished figure. His vaunted commitment to human rights and international law rings very false when he kowtows to the regime in Beijing, and even the likely modest economic impact of his visit cannot offset that, says Eliot Wilson We need to talk about Sir Keir Starmer. The [...]
Mandelson to Epstein: JP Morgan should ‘threaten’ UK over banker tax February 2, 2026 Lord Peter Mandelson told Jeffrey Epstein that the boss of banking giant JP Morgan should “mildly threaten” the UK Treasury over a tax on banker bonuses whilst the peer was serving as business secretary. New bombshell revelations in the latest drop of the Epstein files by the US Department of Justice showed Mandelson, who worked [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Miners lead stock fall as gold rout deepens February 2, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. There’s one big event the City is looking towards this week but all signs point to zero surprises. On Thursday, the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee will meet for the first time this year and decide whether to take the chop to interest rates. [...]
Crackdown on social media migrant adverts to begin, Home Office says February 1, 2026 Social media users who tout illegal routes into the UK face up to five years in prison, starting on Monday. The Home Office will activate part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, passed last year, as part of its crackdown on adverts telling migrants how they can circumvent immigration checks. Border security minister [...]
Jenrick’s defection was “a mistake”, senior Tory claims February 1, 2026 A member of the shadow cabinet has said Robert Jenrick’s defection from the Conservatives to Reform UK was “a mistake”, fuelled by “frustrated personal ambition”. Shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, said Jenrick’s decision to join Nigel Farage’s party came from his upset about not being named party leader. Speaking to Sky News’s Trevor Phillips, he [...]
Starmer looks to woo Japanese investors amid Asia trip backlash January 31, 2026 Keir Starmer said he would hold discussions with investors and business owners in Japan after landing in Tokyo, with the Prime Minister hoping to defy critics of his recent trip to China with new deals to boost the UK economy. Speaking on a plane from Shanghai to Tokyo, Starmer said discussions with Prime Minister Sanae [...]
Is Starmer’s China visit a lose-lose trip? January 30, 2026 Starmer was looking for win-win, Golden Era opportunities from his China visit, but the reality has yielded few tangible outcomes.