Reeves seeks to boost UK share ownership in ISA overhaul October 18, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is looking to boost UK share ownership as part of her plans to overhaul ISAs, with potential measures including a minimum holding of British companies and a stamp duty tax break. The move is an evolution of the previously scrapped Conservative plan to create a ‘Brit ISA’ and comes as Reeves searches [...]
China threatens ‘consequences’ over London embassy delay October 17, 2025 China has unleashed a threat of “consequences” over the latest delay to approving its application for a highly controversial new embassy at the Royal Mint Court site in London, amid escalating diplomatic tensions between the UK and the world’s second largest economy. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian has blasted Keir Starmer for failing to [...]
Labour delays decision on China’s mega embassy application October 16, 2025 A decision on China’s new mega embassy next to the Tower of London has been delayed to December amid growing concerns that China is interfering with British democracy by spying on MPs and stealing classified information. The application for the new embassy at the Royal Mint Court site was set to be finalised as early [...]
Which taxes will be raised in the Budget? October 16, 2025 The UK Chancellor has now received the first forecast from the OBR. There will be two more“pre-measures” rounds before the crunch moment on 10 November when the OBR deliverto the Treasury the first “post-measure” forecast. That’s the point where Reeves will havehad to make some decisions on what might actually end up in the Budget [...]
Security adviser made ‘independent decision’ to use Labour policy in Chinese spy statement October 16, 2025 A Labour minister has claimed the deputy national security adviser made an “independent decision” to use what appeared to be the political party manifesto’s wording in his witness statement provided to the the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) regarding the alleged collapsed spying case. Cabinet Office minister Chris Ward doubled down on political claims that the [...]
Autumn Budget: Wealth tax would drive £100bn out of UK economy October 16, 2025 Rachel Reeves is facing renewed calls to rule out any form of wealth tax in the Autumn Budget with concerns such a move would drive £100bn out of the UK economy. The Chancellor confirmed on Wednesday higher taxes on the nation’s wealthiest would be a “part of the story” in the Budget. But fresh research [...]
UK economy grew 0.1 per cent in August October 16, 2025 The UK economy grew by 0.1 per cent in August, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures have shown, with a struggling construction sector in the month weighing down on output across the UK. The ONS data indicated on Wednesday morning the UK economy was set for a significant slowdown after an upswing in spending over [...]
Reeves faces ‘Groundhog Day’ as Budget tax hikes loom October 16, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves risks having to hike taxes ever higher in forthcoming budgets if she leaves herself with £9.9bn in headroom, a joint report by Barclays and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned. The research has suggested that spending cuts would send a “crucial” signal to the bond markets that the government had [...]
Autumn Budget: Reeves must focus on growth, not ‘gimmicks’ October 16, 2025 Ahead of the Autumn Budget, City Reporter Samuel Norman sits down with top industry names for a Budget Briefing. This week, the chief executive of founders club Helm calls for bold innovation policies took take centre stage. Chancellor Rachel Reeves should use her second Autumn Budget to make bolder swings for the UK’s innovation economy [...]
Leading economist slams ‘myth’ that landlords are under-taxed October 15, 2025 Tax hikes for landlords will be damaging to the economy and are based on a lack of understanding about investors, according to a leading economist. Paul Johnson, the former head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said that the UK “need[s] to think very carefully about how to tax housing and how to tax rental [...]