‘Cover up’: Starmer blames vetting amid process questions on Mandelson March 12, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman has blamed the vetting process inherited from previous governments for Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment despite accusations that the Prime Minister did not follow ministerial procedures and oversaw a “cover up”. Starmer’s spokesman said the government was looking to reform the due diligence process and national security vetting procedure for major appointments. [...]
Mandelson files pose huge questions for Starmer March 12, 2026 What was Keir Starmer thinking? That’s not a rhetorical question; I really do want to know (because I cannot imagine) what the Prime Minister was thinking when he signed off the decision to send Peter Mandelson to Washington. It was the first week of February when, during an excruciating performance in the Commons, Starmer admitted [...]
Labour workers rights reforms could backfire for young workers March 12, 2026 Labour’s employment rights reforms could damage opportunities for young workers if the new laws reduce the number of flexible, entry-level roles, the UK’s top retail trade body has warned. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has called on the government to ensure the implementation of its reforms, which were passed into law in December, doesn’t hamper [...]
Mandelson wanted a near £550,000 payout – and got £75,000 March 11, 2026 Peter Mandelson demanded a £547,201 payout for the remainder of his time as UK ambassador to the US after being sacked, with a settlement of £75,000 being agreed with the Foreign Office, official documents have shown. In the first tranche of documents to be released by the government relating to Mandelson’s time as ambassador, it [...]
Fuel duty rise ‘under review’ as Iran war response sparks tensions March 11, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has said a rise in fuel scheduled for September is “under review” hours after Rachel Reeves hinted an energy support package could be drawn up. Starmer said fuel duty would remain frozen until September and the policy would be kept “under review in light of what’s happening in Iran” when he was [...]
Reeves hints at ‘scope’ for energy package amid inflation rout fears March 11, 2026 Rachel Reeves has indicated that the government can afford to provide a heavy subsidy package protecting Brits from soaring energy prices. Appearing before the Treasury Committee on Wednesday, the Chancellor warned the war in Iran was “certainly not good” for the UK economy but suggested that the government was prepared to respond to the crisis [...]
Reeves’ £1.2bn consultancy savings plan in doubt, watchdog warns March 11, 2026 Despite Rachel Reeves’ focus on cutting government spending on external consultancy services, a damning report stated that the government is unable to set meaningful targets to reduce its reliance on external firms. The UK government has said it wants to put an immediate stop to all non-essential consultancy spending and halve consultancy spending in future [...]
UK economic rebound to be short-lived as Iran war shock looms March 11, 2026 The UK economy is predicted to have seen modest growth at the start of the year while the labour market appeared to be easing and interest rates were very much on a downward path. Forecasters agreed the outlook for the UK economy looked reasonably promising, if not exciting. That was until President Trump spoiled the [...]
OBR warns inflation could exceed three per cent if Iran crisis continues March 10, 2026 Inflation is set to jump back up above three per cent if the rise in oil prices is sustained, a government watchdog has warned, amid fears the energy crisis in the Middle East could drag on. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)’s David Miles said the current rise in oil and gas prices would add [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks soar and oil dips as Trump says war is ‘very complete’ March 10, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. It was a day of whiplash for global markets as they kicked off the new week. Stock markets from Europe to Asia and Wall Street sunk into the red on open as the price of oil rose at the fastest rate in six-years. Brent crude, [...]