Andrew Griffith tells Burnham to rule out Budget tax rises September 16, 2026 Shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith will urge Labour to rule out further tax rises on businesses at next month’s Budget, as the Conservatives set out plans to cut the compliance burden facing small firms and the self-employed. In his first major speech since taking the role, Griffith will call on Andy Burnham and chancellor John Healey [...]
Burnham considers giving mayors ‘control over water companies’ September 16, 2026 Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to create nine regional bodies led by mayors that could bring water companies under public control. Under the proposals, regional leaders would sit on boards alongside public health officials, customers and environmental campaigners. Alongside setting company objectives, it is understood the boards will collect customer feedback through consultation mechanisms modelled [...]
Home secretary donor reprimanded by accountancy regulator September 16, 2026 An accountancy firm director was severely reprimanded by the regulator and handed a £14,000 fine for breaching accountancy standards. Andeep Mangal, director of Birmingham-based accountancy firm Thapers Chartered Accountants, received a severe reprimand and a £14,000 fine on Wednesday for two separate allegations, and was ordered to pay a further £11,455 in costs to the [...]
Bosses made to justify why staff shouldn’t work from home September 16, 2026 Bosses will have to host a meeting with staff who ask for flexible working and lay out their rationale for refusing, under a new policy outlined by Louise Haigh. The cabinet office minister told a union gathering that business leaders would have to “properly consider” flexibility requests from staff and grant an in-person meeting to [...]
Inflation inches higher ahead of interest rates decision September 16, 2026 Inflation inched higher in the year to August, official data has shown, adding to pressures faced by the Bank of England ahead of its interest rate decision on Thursday. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said consumer price index (CPI) inflation in the 12 months to August was 3.1 per cent, higher than last month’s [...]
Rayner urged to resolve ‘unwelcome’ Tower of London heritage row September 16, 2026 Angela Rayner has been urged to resolve an “unwelcome” heritage row which could place curbs on skyscrapers in the Square Mile to protect views of the Tower of London. The housing secretary has been told that the planning dispute, which was revived by a housing minister in June, risks stalling critical investment in office space [...]
‘Underwhelmed’: Ofcom admits online safety impact falling short as full roll-out slips to 2027 September 15, 2026 Britain’s online safety watchdog has admitted its flagship rules have so far had an “underwhelming” impact on children’s safety, as it revealed the Online Safety Act will not be fully operational until the middle of 2027 and warned the government’s incoming social media ban could stretch its resources. Ofcom officials faced a grilling from peers [...]
Reform hits back at Tory plan to ‘abolish inheritance tax’ September 13, 2026 The Conservatives and Reform UK have clashed over plans to abolish inheritance tax as Kemi Badenoch prepares to put tax cuts at the heart of her pitch to voters. Badenoch is considering pledging to scrap inheritance tax if the Tories win the next general election, with the policy potentially forming the centrepiece of her party [...]
Government admits Burnham’s Whitehall shake-up leaves tech policy in limbo September 11, 2026 Nearly two months after Andy Burnham abolished Britain’s technology department, ministers have admitted parts of the former department still have nowhere to go. A long-awaited breakdown of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) carve-up revealed a “small number of policy areas” are yet to be allocated, while some staff are still waiting to [...]
UK economy grew unexpectedly after Burnham took over as Prime Minister September 11, 2026 The UK economy had surprise growth in the month Andy Burnham became Prime Minister. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed GDP expanded 0.4 per cent in July, racing ahead of City economists’ forecast of zero growth. This was led by 0.4 per cent growth in the UK’s mammoth services sector, [...]