Remove windfall taxes on North Sea oil, bosses tell Rachel Reeves October 2, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves should abolish windfall taxes on oil and gas producers in the North Sea, top bosses have said. In a new report setting out UK businesses’ proposals for the Budget, the Chancellor has been urged to focus on cutting energy costs for firms and set out a clearer plan for the North Sea’s [...]
Labour is in denial about the economy October 2, 2025 The recent Labour conference as an exercise in denial, revealing a party plagued by internal divisions and lacking a coherent economic plan, says Helen Thomas As the Labour conference drew to a close, one word dominated the mood: denial. Denial of the scale of Britain’s economic challenges. Denial of the fault lines within the party [...]
Exclusive: Peter Kyle says Employment Rights critics ‘come from certain educational backgrounds’ October 2, 2025 Business secretary Peter Kyle has dismissed critics of the Employment Rights Bill as people on an “above average income” and those who have not had an “ordinary experience in the economy”. Labour’s workers’ rights package has faced staunch opposition from CEOs as well as top business groups including the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and [...]
Andrew Bailey’s stablecoin U-turn hailed as ‘positive step’ October 1, 2025 Andrew Bailey has issued a major climb down on stablecoins after previously being accused of “killing” the country’s ambitions with “prescriptive” views. The Bank of England governor – who has been branded a “dinosaur” by Reform’s Nigel Farage for archaic views on crypto assets – has now said the UK should “reap the benefits” of [...]
What should Labour supporters make of a conference dominated by Reform? October 1, 2025 Keir Starmer wants to frame the choice facing Britain as one between decency and division, but will a restless electorate anxious to see results let him? Asks Douglas Beattie There are three types of party conference – the dreary, the victorious and the tense. The first of these often emerges after a long period in [...]
Keir Starmer is dangerously deluded October 1, 2025 The prime minister may have insisted yesterday that wealth creation is “the defining mission of this government” but it certainly wasn’t the defining mission of his speech to the Labour party conference. There were roughly 7,000 words in Keir Starmer’s address to party members in Liverpool, with “business” being uttered just four times – and [...]
Keir Starmer ramps up attack on Reform in vow to ‘renew Britain’ September 30, 2025 Prime Minister Keir Starmer ramped up his attacks on Reform as he called for Brits to unite behind the government’s mission to “renew” the country. In a make or break speech to Labour Party members, Starmer said the country was at a crossroads moment to deliver “renewal” – though he pushed back against claims Britain [...]
Global talent visa: The migrants the UK really wants September 30, 2025 Keir Starmer’s great triumph – perhaps his only success – lies in his smart diplomacy with President Donald Trump. As Trump has moved to obliterate the world order, Starmer has made use of his soft spot for the UK. Now the Prime Minister is being urged to take advantage of Trump’s blind spot. In the [...]
Peter Kyle: We will get rid of 25 per cent of regulation September 30, 2025 Business secretary Peter Kyle said there were “absurdities” across regulatory bodies for businesses as he vowed to cut burdens by 25 per cent. In a fringe event at the Labour party conference, Kyle struck a bold tone on the extent of red tape holding the UK economy back, adding that he was asked by Keir [...]
UK economy stalls in second quarter September 30, 2025 The UK economy grew at a sluggish pace of 0.3 per cent in the second quarter of the year, official data has shown, another major setback for Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ as she hopes to oversee higher growth. The Office for National Statistics left its growth figure unchanged from a previous estimate as it confirmed its [...]