Lib Dems vow to push back controversial Pension Schemes Bill April 24, 2026 The government has been warned that the Pension Schemes Bill will continue to be pushed back unless ministers remove controversial mandation powers, as a groundswell of opposition puts pressure on the government to water down the bill. The warning comes as the House of Commons gears up for the bill to bounce back from the [...]
London local elections 2026: Who will win? April 23, 2026 Political turmoil in Westminster and voter anxiety across a range of issues could see the political map of London redrawn after the upcoming local elections. Felix Armstrong, Mauricio Alencar, Matt Kenyon, Samuel Norman, Saskia Koopman and Simon Hunt preview how residents in each of the capital’s 32 boroughs could vote on May 7. The Greens [...]
Greens close gap with Labour in polls after historic by-election win March 3, 2026 The Greens are now biting at the heels of the Labour Party in national polling after its candidate Hannah Spencer stormed to a historic by-election win in Gorton and Denton last week. The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll puts the Greens on 15 per cent, with Labour ahead of them by three points, a smaller [...]
Lib Dems would scrap Treasury for ‘Department for Growth’ February 11, 2026 The Liberal Democrats have laid out plans to scrap the Treasury department if elected in favour of a ‘Department for Growth’. Daisy Cooper, the party’s deputy leader and Treasury spokeswoman, said on Wednesday took aim at failed government economic policy and said the Treasury “does too much”. “Fiscal policy, economic policy and controlling government spending. [...]
Lib Dems: Starmer has gone ‘cap in hand’ to China despite spy threats January 28, 2026 Keir Starmer has been accused of going “cap in hand” to China, piling further criticism on the government’s trade ambitions with a country that has backed hacking operations against the UK. Liberal Democrats deputy leader Daisy Cooper demanded deputy prime minister David Lammy, who stood in for Starmer at PMQs, to name a “single consequence” [...]
Reform in poll surge as Starmer’s approval rating remains worst in UK October 6, 2025 Reform UK has extended its lead over Labour in the polls as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s approval ratings remained the worst of any top British political figure despite rallying calls for voters to back the government in defeating Nigel Farage. The latest monthly City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll shows Nigel Farage’s Reform UK gaining two points [...]
Banking watchdog launches deregulation push as tax fears grow September 22, 2025 Britain’s banking watchdog has laid out plans to slash regulation across the industry in a bid to sweeten the sector’s operating environment. In fresh proposals hoping to cut the red tape on the sector, the PRA identified 37 “individual reporting templates” which have “overlapping and complex requirements” in a bid to ease the administrative cost [...]
Natwest and HSBC shares dip as bank tax chatter heats up September 22, 2025 Shares in Natwest and HSBC dipped on Monday morning as traders digested renewed chatter of a tax hike on Britain’s banking giants. Natwest tumbled as much as 1.3 per cent to 506p when markets opened, while HSBC fell 0.6 per cent to 1,022p. Barclays fell nearly 0.2 per cent to 381p. Lloyds was broadly flat [...]
Nick Clegg: Labour’s choices have left UK in ‘perilous’ place September 4, 2025 Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has blasted the Labour government for its poor preparations ahead of last year’s elections, which led to “ridiculous” decisions being made at least year’s £40bn tax grab in the Autumn Budget. Speaking to LBC, Clegg said Labour had made promises it could not deliver as it struggled to balance [...]
Immigration is top voter concern, exclusive poll says August 5, 2025 Reducing immigration became more important to voters in July, polling has shown, amid social instability over anti-migrant protests and more calls from top UK economists for a greater focus on getting Brits into the labour market before hiring overseas workers. Research by City AM/Freshwater Strategy has shown reducing immigration is the single most important issue [...]