Booming Manchester outshines ‘stagnant’ London November 4, 2025 Greater Manchester’s booming economy is outstripping the rest of the country and throwing into sharp relief the “stagnant” state London has found itself in since the 2008 financial crisis, according to a new report. As Chancellor Rachel Reeves sets out the productivity challenges facing the UK ahead of the Budget, new analysis from Oxford Economics [...]
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary says high tax UK economy is ‘doomed’ November 3, 2025 Michael O’Leary has said that the UK economy is “doomed to continue to fail” until the tax burden starts to come down. Asked on Sky News about what advice he would offer ahead of the Budget, the Ryanair chief said Rachel Reeves should reduce Air Passenger Duty (APD) and reverse “crazy” planned hikes to the [...]
Can Liverpool really add £10bn to its economy? October 13, 2025 The Labour mayor of the Liverpool City Region has unveiled a 10-year plan to create tens of thousands of jobs and add £10bn to the local economy. Steve Rotheram’s “bold and ambitious” plan has been described as a “roadmap” to increasing wages, driving investment, raising living standards and providing better services for the region’s 1.6m [...]
Keir Starmer ‘has until May’ as polling sends warning shot September 15, 2025 Keir Starmer has been told he has until next May’s local elections to turn fortunes around as polling has sent the prime minister an ominous warning about his future. The Prime Minister is facing intense pressure from Labour MPs after new questions were raised about his appointment and judgment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to [...]
NBA to return to London for first time in seven years July 30, 2025 The NBA is to stage a regular-season game in London 2026, ending its seven-year absence from the capital. The Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic will play a regular-season game at the O2 Arena on 18 January 2026. This is the first time an NBA game will be held in the capital since 2019, while [...]
Chetwood Bank surpasses £5bn after strong growth July 25, 2025 Chetwood Bank’s balance sheet has exceeded £5bn for the first time, City AM can reveal, after growing by £1bn in just three months. The digital challenger bank surpassed the milestone in July, with chief executive Paul Noble noting the bank’s “great growth trajectory” and expanding customer base to the rise, after the balance sheet stood [...]
London hotel rates quintuple amid supersonic Oasis demand July 22, 2025 London hotel rates have soared as Oasis fans pour into the capital for a string of shows at Wembley. The average cost of room rates in Wembley jumped to £560 for Friday, 25 July, compared to £114.83 for the following week, according to consulting firm RSM UK. “The impact of this iconic band reforming brings [...]
Landlords pick Manchester over London for higher returns June 30, 2025 Manchester has surpassed London in terms of the best yields for landlords, despite the former having a much lower average rent. London ranked fifth in a survey of rental yields, with the average annual return on investment in the capital at just 2.25 per cent, versus 4.21 per cent in Manchester, according to specialist property litigation [...]
Happy Valley maker shut down by owner StudioCanal June 4, 2025 The maker of TV hits such as Happy Valley and It’s a Sin has been shut down by its owner, StudioCanal. Red Production Company, which is headquartered in Manchester, has closed with the loss of around ten jobs. Included in the departures was chief executive Patrick Schweitzer who left the business last week. Schweitzer had [...]
Spending review: Rachel Reeves pledges £15.6bn for regional transport June 4, 2025 The government has made its biggest spending announcement since Labour’s drubbing at the local elections in May, with a pledge from Chancellor Rachel Reeves to double investment in local transport over the next five years. A £15.6bn cash injection will form a major pillar of the 11 June spending review, which the Treasury says would [...]