Meet the man behind London’s biggest new factory since the Second World War Industrials Isembard’s Alexander Fitzgerald is on a mission to revitalise Britain’s high-precision manufacturing industry. Ali Lyon visits the company’s new London site to talk policy, patriotism and intergalactic growth Amid the whirring sound of robotic machines, Alexander Fitzgerald is excitedly explaining why the only thing on the wall of his cavernous factory is a brightly illuminated, [...]
Land shortage leaves Nato defence targets at risk, Streeting warned Property The UK risks falling short of Nato defence spending targets unless it immediately slashes planning red tape to address its land shortage, the government has been warned. Demand for defence-related industries and logistics space is set to surge to 32m sq ft by 2033 if the government meets Nato’s defence spending targets. The UK is [...]
Claimant law firms seek appeal in Diesel emissions legal battle Legal A group of car manufacturing giants may be forced back to the High Court to defend allegations that they installed devices to curb diesel emissions tests. In the case nicknamed ‘Dieselgate’, the High Court handed down a judgment in July ruling in favour of the carmakers, but claimants, over a million motorists, a law firm [...]
Class action vehicle lawsuit settles at £55m less than original value September 24, 2026 A class action lawsuit representing millions of UK motorists and businesses affected by inflated shipping fees has settled for £57m less than its original £150m target. The claim, brought by class action representative and former Which? campaigns specialist Mark McLaren, alleged that from October 2006 to September 2015, leading European shipping companies had breached competition [...]
Bentley’s debut EV drives £1bn motoring investment surge in a week September 23, 2026 Britain’s automotive industry is set to get an extra £350m of investment as Bentley drives new funding into its headquarters in Crewe to build its first fully electronic vehicle, marking the third major boost in a week for the sector. The announcement takes the total figure of fresh investment into the UK’s automotive industry in [...]
Burnham: Rejoining the EU is a debate ‘for another day’ September 22, 2026 Andy Burnham has refused to rule out launching a bid for the UK to rejoin the EU, saying the debate is “for another day.” Speaking to reporters in New York at the United Nations summit on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said his priority was to “build on the good work that Keir [Starmer] did in [...]
Food inflation set to surge next year as Iran war ramps up supply costs September 9, 2026 Food inflation could top six per cent next year as rising fuel prices triggered by the war in Iran ramp up supply chain costs, a top food industry body has warned. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which represents the UK’s food manufacturers, has urged the government to help the industry keep its costs down, [...]
Jaguar Land Rover confirms plans to cut thousands of jobs September 7, 2026 Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed plans to cut thousands of jobs as it looks to slash around £1.7bn from its cost base over the next two years. The Midlands-based carmaker said it needed to “simplify” its structure as it presses ahead with the next phase of its strategy. The company’s bosses told staff on Monday [...]
Manufacturing growth loses momentum as economic risks loom September 1, 2026 The manufacturing sector suffered a slowdown in growth over August as smaller firms struggled to clinch new orders. S&P Global researchers suggested growth in the manufacturing sector eased in August as the purchasing managers’ index (PMI) reading dropped from 51.9 in July to 51.7. The reading remains above the neutral 50 mark, indicating that activity [...]
UK economy’s rebound fails to stem two years of mass job losses August 21, 2026 A rebound in the UK economy over August has failed to turn around the country’s flagging labour market after nearly two years of job losses, new estimates have shown. Data tracked by S&P Global suggested the UK’s private sector grew at the fastest pace in four months in August despite concerns around business costs and [...]