Rachel Reeves’ matchmaker moment July 23, 2025 Finance bros and gals are often seen oozing confidence as they strut their stuff around the streets of the City of London, imagining they’re the main characters on hit show Industry. But it would be a mistake to assume these investor strategists, expert consultants and risk analysts are libertarian dreamers, swashbuckling Reagan fanatics and small-state [...]
National Wealth Fund to put £28m into carbon capture project July 7, 2025 A government -backed fund is pledging more than £2 for a carbon capture project. Energy secretary Ed Miliband has said that workers in “Britain’s manufacturing heartlands” will benefit from the investment in the Peak Cluster works. Peak Cluster is working towards a pipeline that will take carbon emissions from cement and lime companies in the [...]
National Wealth Fund boss calls for public finance consolidation July 1, 2025 The boss of Labour’s National Wealth Fund has urged the government to remain open to consolidation of public finance institutions in a bid to ease confusion for the private sector. In a hearing on Tuesday, the chief executive of the National Wealth Fund (NWF) John Flint told MPs he would “encourage” the Treasury “not to [...]
National wealth fund boss slams banking industry’s risk appetite June 30, 2025 The boss of the National Wealth Fund has blasted the banking industry’s risk appetite and cited the lack of risk-taking as the reason for waning growth figures. Speaking at City Week on Monday, John Flint, the chief executive of the newly-established government body, said: “The banking system is very heavily regulated and in the best [...]
British Business Bank set on delivering Labour’s growth ambition June 28, 2025 Arguably one of the biggest winners from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ latest spending splurge, the British Business Bank had its lending capacity beefed up and pledged to back the UK’s innovators with its expanded range. The bank had its funding capacity increased to £25.6bn in the Spending Review from near £15.6bn as it targets eight key [...]
Natwest executive top choice to lead Reeves’ National Wealth Fund June 24, 2025 A senior Natwest executive is the leading choice to become the next chief of Labour’s National Wealth Fund. Oliver Holbourn is the front-runner to oversee the Treasury’s new body with current boss John Flint set to depart in the summer. Holbourn currently heads up Natwest’s RBS International Arm and previously managed UK Financial Investments – [...]
Labour’s National Wealth Fund a misnomer, MPs told June 18, 2025 Labour’s National Wealth Fund faced renewed calls for clarity on Wednesday as the Treasury Committee continued its inquiry into the government’s new body. The government’s rebrand of the National Wealth Fund (NWF) from the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) in October 2024 has raised questions amid confusion of the two bodies’ remits. Academics and think tank [...]
Labour’s National Wealth Fund hounded with calls for clarity May 15, 2025 Labour’s National Wealth Fund (NWF) faced renewed pressure on Wednesday as the Treasury Committee kicked off its inquiry into the new body. The NWF’s ability to boost economic growth across the country was the subject of questions posed by MPs to investment industry leaders. Its status as a “wealth fund” came under fire against comparisons [...]
In a stormy world, the UK can pitch itself as a safe harbour for investment March 31, 2025 The stormy economic outlook overseas creates an opportunity for the UK to act as a safe harbour for investment, writes Chris Hayward.
Labour’s National Wealth Fund slammed for ‘completely misleading’ rebrand March 25, 2025 The government has been accused of “gaslighting the British public” over its National Wealth Fund as the Treasury committee announced on Monday it had launched an inquiry into the new body. Originally a fixture of Labour’s 2024 manifesto – the National Wealth Fund was to consolidate the British Business Bank and the UK Infrastructure Bank, [...]