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 [...]
Reeves warns oil price shock to fuel higher inflation for Brits March 9, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has warned that a recent spike in oil prices will translate into higher inflation in the UK, with her economic approach centring on calls for the US, Israel and Iran to de-escalate the conflict in the Middle East. In a statement to MPs, Reeves said she called on G7 finance minister, which [...]
Kwasi Kwarteng: Labour ‘at risk’ without more tax rises amid bond jitters March 9, 2026 The government risks being plunged into crisis unless it prepares for another bruising round of tax hikes to cover sharp rises in energy subsidies, former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has warned. In an interview with City AM, Kwarteng said taxes could be put up as soon as November if the government pushes ahead with proposals for [...]
Government borrowing costs mount on fears of inflation spike March 9, 2026 Government borrowing costs have climbed on escalating fears that the war in the Middle East will push up inflation and leave interest rates higher. The 10-year gilt yield jumped by some 14 basis points on Monday morning as traders continue selling off their gilt holdings over mounting fears that interest rates could rise. Longer-term gilt [...]
UK jobs market ‘facing sustained shocks’ March 9, 2026 The Labour government is facing a rallying cry to ease the cost burden on businesses to avoid derailing a recovery in the jobs market. The latest jobs report from KPMG and the REC, the professional body for recruiters, showed hiring for permanent roles reaching a stabilising point in February with the pace of declines the [...]
Tradesmen hand condoms to politicians in paternity campaign March 8, 2026 Construction workers will descend on Westminster to hand out condoms to MPs as part of a campaign for paternity leave for the self-employed. Tradesmen from across the UK will be dishing out the condoms branded with “this lasts longer than our paternity leave” to draw attention to their cause. Self-employed fathers do not get any [...]
Anthropic: AI hasn’t caused job losses yet, but hiring is slowing March 6, 2026 AI has yet to trigger the wave of job losses many fear, according to one of the sector’s biggest players, but early signs suggest it may already be reshaping how companies hire. New research from Anthropic found little evidence that AI has increased unemployment in the occupations most exposed to the technology since the launch [...]
Iran war: blood, sweat, toil and Keir March 6, 2026 Trump is right: weak, vacillating and indecisive Keir Starmer, overly influenced by his worst cabinet minister Ed Miliband, is no Winston Churchill, says Alys Denby In war, Britain once offered blood, toil and tears – now we must make do with blood, toil and Keir. There is a case to be made that America and [...]
Starmer vows to ‘resist pressure’ over Iran policy amid criticism of UK response March 5, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to “resist” pressure on the UK’s response to the conflict with Iran as he defended Britain’s “level-headed” military response. In a press conference on Thursday, Starmer suggested President Trump had left the Middle East “plunged into chaos” with his attack on the Iranian regime over the weekend. He said the [...]
‘Patronising gibberish’ – Top Tory slams Labour’s ‘masculine’ job ad crackdown March 5, 2026 Labour has been criticised for issuing new guidance that warns employers against using ‘masculine’ language in job descriptions. The Office for Equality and Opportunity’s new guidance, published on Wednesday, suggests that businesses swap ‘aggressive character traits’ for more neutral, behaviour-based criteria. The document urges businesses to use neutral language and titles, including “avoid terms associated [...]