Steel tariffs: UK ‘ready for all situations’, No10 says on Trump threats February 10, 2025 The UK is “ready for all situations” and ministers will “engage as appropriate”, No10 has said, in the wake of Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports into the US It follows a government minister saying Britain will have to “wait and see” if Donald Trump “gets more specific” about his [...]
‘Unproven’ green tech to have significant impact on energy bills, MPs warn February 7, 2025 Government investment into “unproven” carbon capture schemes is set to have a “very significant effect” on households’ energy bills, an influential group of MPs is warning. Ministers have backed investment into carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) schemes in a bid to achieve the UK’s legally mandated climate goals, including net zero by 2050. But [...]
‘Doing a day’s work seen as stressful’ by youth, Liz Kendall says February 7, 2025 The UK must avoid a situation where “doing a day’s work is in itself seen as stressful” by young people, Liz Kendall has warned. The work and pensions secretary has told ITV: “There is genuinely a problem with many young people, particularly the Covid generation, but we can’t have a situation where doing a day’s [...]
Week in Business: Growth hammer blow means Reeves must change course February 7, 2025 If the Chancellor was still on a high from last week’s big growth-focused speech, the Bank of England has just pulled her back down to earth and, for good measure, poured a bucket of cold water over her. This is a time for hard truths and none harder than the hammer-blow fact that the Bank [...]
Stagflation: Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces mess of her own making February 7, 2025 The Bank now expects the UK economy to grow 0.7 per cent this year, cut from a previous estimate of 1.5 per cent. Inflation, meanwhile, will hit 3.7 per cent later this year.
UK construction activity falls sharply as confidence plunges February 6, 2025 UK construction activity fell sharply in January, ending a 10-month streak of expansion as higher borrowing costs, gloomy economic prospects and weak client confidence hit the sector. S&P Global’s UK Construction Purchasing Managers Index fell to 48.1 last month, down from 53.3 in December and well below the 53.4 expected by analysts. “The overall construction [...]
Overhaul of planning barriers to nuclear power, Starmer announces February 6, 2025 An overhaul of planning barriers to make it easier to build new nuclear power plants has been announced by Keir Starmer. The move will create thousands of highly skilled jobs, the government said, as the Prime Minister confirmed red tape would be “slashed” in a bid to fast-track approval of reactors. It is set to [...]
To understand Labour’s challenge on investment, look to Saint Matthew February 6, 2025 Why are all the infrastructure projects the Chancellor wants to invest in in the South? James Nations says the answer can be found in Matthew’s Gospel: “for to everyone who has, more shall be given”… With the Chancellor wanting to move the conversation on from last year’s doom and gloom, she might be pleased to [...]
City minister takes aim at cash ISAs in call to back the stock market February 5, 2025 The City minister lamented the hundreds of billions of pounds stashed away in cash ISAs today as she called for Brits to invest more money in London’s ailing stock market. Speaking to the Lord financial regulation committee, Emma Reynolds, who took over the role of City minister last month, said the UK had “failed to [...]
UK voters want ministers to prioritise growth over net zero, poll finds February 5, 2025 Voters in the UK say they want the government to prioritise economic growth over net zero, pollsters have found. Exclusive polling for City AM by Freshwater Strategy found seven in ten people said they would rather the government prioritise economic growth over achieving net zero by 2050. It comes after pollsters yesterday revealed a majority [...]