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, [...]
UK risks squandering AI investment without urgent action on data centres July 30, 2025 The UK could lose out on billions of pounds in AI investment unless it tackles growing obstacles to data centre development, a new report has warned, as infrastructure experts urge the government to move faster on planning reform and energy policy. The ‘how to make the UK an AI leader’ report, published by techUK, the [...]
Trump’s AI push puts pressure on Starmer’s Action Plan July 29, 2025 Donald Trump has declared that the United States is going to “win the AI race”, leaving Britain to prove it can keep up. Speaking at the ‘winning AI race’ summit, the US president said: “America is the country that started the AI race. And as president of the United States, I’m here today to declare [...]
Trump hails relationship with Starmer – but no steel exemptions yet July 28, 2025 In a Scottish golfing holiday that has swiftly given way to a multi-sided international summit, Keir Starmer has held a bilateral meeting with Donald Trump which has spanned from the UK-US trading relationship to immigration policy and international conflicts. Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds had tempered expectations of immediate steel tariff progress ahead of the meeting, [...]
Lionesses to celebrate Women’s Euros triumph with open-top bus parade July 28, 2025 The Lionesses will celebrate their Women’s Euros triumph with an open-top bus parade through central London on Tuesday. England defeated Spain on penalties in a dramatic final on Sunday in which Chloe Kelly netted the decisive kick after the Lionesses once again came from behind to force extra time. The Lionesses flew home from Switzerland [...]
Trump Scotland visit: Starmer to push for zero steel tariffs July 25, 2025 President Trump kicks off his golfing holiday in Scotland this evening, and all eyes are on his diary as the trip looks set to become a hub for diplomacy. Sir Keir Starmer will meet the US President on Monday, with the express mission of pressing for reduced tariffs on British steel. The two leaders are [...]
UK-India trade deal will be major boost for financial services July 25, 2025 Yesterday, as the UK-India Free Trade Agreement was signed, it marked a landmark moment forBritain’s financial services sector. Not only is this the government delivering a trade deal that was talked about for many years butnever happened – it is delivering a real strategic partnership with the world’s fastest-growing majoreconomy. It’s an agreement that perfectly [...]
UK and India sign £6bn trade deal July 24, 2025 Keir Starmer and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have signed a trade deal worth an estimated £6bn, with the UK Prime Minister hailing the landmark agreement a “historic day” for Britain and India. The trade pact – the result of over three years of negotiations – will see tariffs on the whisky and cars that [...]
Goldman Sachs boss: London finance lead ‘fragile’ July 23, 2025 London’s position as a global financial centre is at risk from years of anti-business policies that are pushing talent and capital abroad, the boss of Goldman Sachs has warned. David Solomon highlighted a damaging combination of Brexit, the UK’s tax burden, constrictive regulation, and the recent decision to abolish the non-dom regime have all harmed [...]
UK sanctions 25 targets in illegal migration crackdown July 23, 2025 The UK government has banned 25 people smugglers, fraudsters, and bankers in the first set of sanctions aimed at curbing illegal migration, putting pressure on countries across Europe and the Middle East to follow suit. The Foreign Office has disclosed the names of 24 individuals and one company it has accused of facilitating people-smuggling and [...]