What should we make of Makerfield? June 11, 2026 Much analysis of the Makerfield by-election focuses on what it means for Keir Starmer and the Labour party’s national fortunes – but how should we assess it on its own terms? Asks Steve Akehurst It can be stated without much hyperbole that when the people of Makerfield go to the polls next week it will [...]
Starmer dodges questions on funding for defence spending June 10, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer dodged several questions over funding for an uplift in defence spending as he appeared to suggest that the full defence investment plan will take weeks to be published. Starmer refused to confirm the publication date for a 10-year blueprint on defence spending as he stuck to a commitment that it would be [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 see-saws amid global jitters as market outlook turns ‘risky and dangerous’ June 10, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Markets were not getting too excited at the beginning of this week when Donald Trump said a peace deal with Iran was “very close”. And last night’s exchange of strikes might explain why. The US has said it completed a series of strikes against Iran [...]
An emboldened – or desperate – new government will look to wealth taxes June 10, 2026 Wealth taxes are climbing back up the political agenda as the Labour party begins the process of reinventing itself for a post-Starmer era. Wes Streeting thinks he’s found “a wealth tax that works” by hiking capital gains tax while Andy Burnham is flirting with a land value tax that would naturally hit wealthy areas the [...]
‘Course correction’: UK economy to contract as ‘energy shock catches up’ June 9, 2026 The UK economy is expected to contract despite a boost at the start of the year, with economists warning that the war in Iran’s energy price shock will now show up in fresh data. Economists believe that the UK economy declined by 0.1 per cent in April. Official figures will be published on Friday. The [...]
Government aid ‘worth £28bn’ handed to terrorists, criminals and hostile states June 9, 2026 Billions of pounds of UK taxpayers’ money has been misspent as government aid and Covid relief funds ended up in the hands of terrorists, hostile states and criminal gangs, according to reports. A Cabinet Office dossier, unearthed by the Telegraph, found that more than £28bn ended up in the hands of the Islamic State and [...]
Starmer ally defends minimum wage quango after Sunak calls for it to be axed June 9, 2026 Welfare secretary Pat McFadden has leapt to the defence of the minimum wage quango after former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for the body to be axed. The top ally of Sir Keir Starmer told City AM it “would be a mistake” to abolish the Low Pay Commission (LPC), an independent body that advises the [...]
London City Airport faces opposition over bigger planes plan June 8, 2026 Opposition to plans to allow bigger jets to use City Airport is taking off among London politicians who work right under the flightpath into the Docklands hub. The London Assembly’s environment committee has raised questions over aircraft such as the Airbus A320neo being used to boost capacity at the capital’s smallest and most central aviation [...]
‘Walking stick daggers’ and ‘nunchucks’ return to London Tech Week banned list June 8, 2026 Before hearing the prime minister or mayor of London talk up Britain’s tech future, attendees of this year’s London Tech Week had an important task: make sure they had left their spear gun at home. The annual list of prohibited items returned to Olympia on Monday, featuring a 45-item catalogue of banned objects ranging from [...]
Electoral reform could destroy the Labour party June 8, 2026 Labour is playing with fire to consider electoral reform at a time when it’s share of voter support is so low, says Eliot Wilson Electoral reform is one of those issues to which most people give little thought, but for those to whom it matters, it matters a great deal. Changing the voting system for [...]