Bond markets ignore Starmer briefings and Westminster gossip November 12, 2025 Bond markets shrugged at Keir Starmer’s team’s attacks against Cabinet ministers and Westminster gossip suggesting a leadership contest was emerging after investors were dragged into briefing wars. On Tuesday night, a briefing war erupted in Westminster as Keir Starmer’s allies told journalists that there would be a rout in the bond markets if the Prime [...]
Three quarters of Brits think UK ‘heading in wrong direction’ as Budget looms November 12, 2025 The UK is heading in the wrong direction, most Brits believe, in the latest sign of rising gloom about the state of the country’s economy. A City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll has shown that 76 per cent of voters are pessimistic about the future of the country, the highest level of pessimism recorded since our polling [...]
Autumn Budget: B&Q boss hands Reeves tool kit for growth November 12, 2025 Ahead of the Autumn Budget, City Reporter Samuel Norman sits down with top industry names for a Budget Briefing. This week, the boss of retail stalwart B&Q warns truly fixing the foundations starts with building confidence. After Labour’s monumental 2024 general election sweep, Chancellor Rachel Reeves seized her economic tool kit, telling Britons she was “fixing [...]
Unemployment rate surges to 5 per cent November 11, 2025 The UK unemployment rate has surged to a post-pandemic high in further signs the jobs market has struggled to bounce back, amid interest rate cuts and adjustments to last year’s tax raid on employers. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the unemployment rate had hit 5 per cent as there were 32,000 fewer payrolled [...]
Brits confidence in European economy outpaces UK as Budget fears grow November 11, 2025 Brits have admitted to having more confidence in the strength of the European and global economy than the UK as Budget fears consume the country. Fresh Barclays research has revealed Brits confidence in the European economy has ranked above the UK for the tenth consecutive month. Of the 2,000 surveyed, 22 per cent had faith [...]
Starmer’s approval ratings hit record low amid Reform and Green squeeze November 11, 2025 Keir Starmer’s approval ratings have hit a fresh low as voters brace for a battering at the Budget. The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters has shown that Keir Starmer’s net approval rating has cratered to -45, the lowest level since our monthly polling began in January this year. His Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, [...]
Voters say Rachel Reeves should resign if income taxes are hiked November 11, 2025 A majority of voters believe Rachel Reeves should resign as Chancellor if she breaks a key Labour manifesto commitment by raising income tax. Labour’s 2024 election manifesto said the party would not put up taxes on working people, including VAT and income tax. But in the lead-up to a crucial Budget where the Chancellor is [...]
Rachel Reeves concedes manifesto pledges may be dropped November 10, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has suggested that Labour manifesto commitments will be ditched amid a “significantly worse” economic inheritance than expected last year. In an interview with the BBC, Reeves said she would prefer to increase government spending on infrastructure rather than cut taxes for Britons. When asked whether the government would stick to manifesto commitments, [...]
Nigel Farage: VAT threshold should be raised November 10, 2025 Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has hit out at suggestions that the VAT threshold for businesses should be lowered from its £90,000 threshold. Reports have suggested that Chancellor Rachel Reeves could lower the threshold at which businesses must be registered for VAT to £30,000 in a phased approach, a policy backed by several think tank wonks [...]
Reeves’ LLP tax proposal will undermine ‘cornerstone of UK economy’ November 10, 2025 A professional services trade body warned that Rachel Reeves’ proposed increase in NICs for LLPs could lead to widespread conversion to limited company structures, undermining a successful British business model. The limited liability partnership (LLP) model, in which members (known as partners) invest their own capital in the business, was introduced 25 years ago and [...]