Tories take note: Reform will come at Labour from the left May 6, 2025 As the dust settles on the local elections, party leaders will be busy trying to identify the right lessons. For the Conservatives, the picture is both clear and complicated. As Kemi Badenoch put it, her party faced a “bloodbath” in councils across the country. That’s the clear bit. The complicated bit concerns what she should [...]
When words matter more than numbers at the Bank of England May 5, 2025 City analysts have pencilled in their predictions for Thursday. Here’s how almost all of them likely read. Interest rates will be cut to 4.25 per cent, the Bank of England’s inflation forecast for this year will exceed its two per cent target and President Trump’s tariffs will be highlighted as a detriment to UK growth. [...]
Reform’s local election sweep puts Starmer and Badenoch in hot seat May 3, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch face pressure to reverse their parties’ fortunes after the local elections saw Reform UK make major gains across England. Nigel Farage hailed the results as “the end of two-party politics” and “the death of the Conservative Party” as Reform picked up 10 councils and more than 600 seats in [...]
Mercer: Pension funds need better pick of UK investments for key deal to work May 1, 2025 The government’s proposed pensions deal will not boost growth unless better UK investment opportunities are put on offer, the boss of one of Britain’s biggest funds has warned. In an interview with City AM, Benoit Hudon suggested a stronger pipeline of UK assets was needed as current options did not deliver good enough returns for [...]
Ed Miliband’s reckless Net Zero ideology April 29, 2025 Rumours persist that Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, could be shunted out of his role when the Prime Minister conducts his first major reshuffle since last summer’s election victory. Keir Starmer has the perfect excuse; the world has changed. He’s fond of saying that, and of course it’s true; huge changes are afoot and the global economy [...]
Sir Jim Ratcliffe: Businesses can’t afford ‘heavy blow’ of net zero taxes April 29, 2025 INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe has slammed UK net zero policies as unaffordable and claimed carbon taxes are “killing manufacturing”. The Manchester United co-owner described payments to be made by INEOS’ Grangemouth as part of the UK Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), which puts a financial cost on carbon emissions, as “yet another tax bill” that [...]
Employment Rights Bill will ‘cut retail staff numbers’ April 29, 2025 Labour’s Employment Rights Bill will lead to job cuts and price hikes, a poll of 31 major retailers has found, in the latest sign the government’s legislative agenda risks harming economic growth. The legislation, which is nearing its final stages in Parliament, introduces sweeping changes to zero-hours contracts, sick pay, leave, flexible working and dismissal, [...]
Employment Rights: ministers refuse to listen – and we’ll all pay the price April 29, 2025 Entrepreneurs know better than anyone just what it takes to get an idea off the ground, and to keep it alive. The common phrases associated with starting and growing a business are clichéd; the sleepless nights, the stress, the worry over payroll and the often crushing sense of responsibility – to family, employees and investors. [...]
David Kogan: Media grandee set to chair football regulator April 25, 2025 Media heavyweight David Kogan OBE, a former advisor to the Premier League with links to the Labour party, has been named the government’s preferred candidate to chair the independent football regulator. Kogan, 67, has seen off competition from serial football club executive Christian Purslow, equality campaigner Sanjay Bhandari and former parliamentary expenses watchdog Professor Sir [...]
UK retail sales surge at the fastest rate in four years April 25, 2025 Retail sales unexpectedly rose in March as shoppers were boosted by good weather, according to new data. Retail sales volumes rose by 0.4 per cent in March 2025, following 0.7 per cent rise in February, according to the Office for National Statistics. Quarterly sales volumes rose by 1.6 per cent quarter on quarter and 1.7 [...]