GOV.UK founder warns Britain is ‘dangerously dependent’ on foreign AI AI Britain risks becoming “dangerously dependent” on a handful of foreign tech companies as AI spreads through businesses and public services, the founder of GOV.UK has warned. Mike Bracken, who founded the Government Digital Service and led the creation of GOV.UK, said organisations were steadily giving up control of critical systems as they turned to external [...]
British retail sales defy forecasts with surprise August rise Retail UK retail sales unexpectedly rose in August, defying forecasts of a decline. Despite renewed pressure from higher fuel prices, hot weather drove a strong rebound in both online shopping and department store sales. Economists had expected sales to fall 0.2 per cent but sales volumes rose 0.5 per cent during the month, reversing a 0.5 [...]
London house price slowdown worsens as luxury areas lose value Property House prices losses in London accelerated in June as the capital’s most sought-after postcodes shed value again. The average house price in London dropped by 3.3 per cent in July to £550,000, worse than June’s 2.5 per cent fall, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The capital’s most affluent postcodes have suffered sharp [...]
Private sector wage growth at lowest level in nearly six years September 15, 2026 Private sector wage growth remains at lows not seen in nearly six years in a sign that Britain’s labour market is weakening further ahead of a crunch interest rate decision for the Bank of England on Thursday. New data has shown that the wider UK jobs market cooled further over the summer, adding to a [...]
Bank of England predicted to raise interest rates this year September 14, 2026 The Bank of England will raise interest rates to four per cent by the end of the year, a top Wall Street bank has warned. Goldman Sachs has upgraded its interest rate expectations amid concerns that inflation could jump higher than previously expected. The bank said an interest rate hike this year was more likely [...]
Digital investment nearly doubles since 2019 yet AI’s growth contributions questioned August 24, 2026 Investment in digital infrastructure has nearly doubled in the space of just five years official data has shown even as economists question whether recent gains in productivity are down to artificial intelligence. A revision of how digital infrastructure spending is calculated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has suggested that business investment in digital [...]
Healey oversees unexpected rise in borrowing in first month as Chancellor August 21, 2026 John Healey oversaw an unexpected deficit in the public finances in his first month as Chancellor, according to new data, in a sign the government may be more restricted than first thought ahead of its first budget. New figures released on Friday showed that government borrowing hit £1.8bn in July. Markets had expected the Office for [...]
Goldman: Junior white-collar workers squeezed hardest by AI hiring slump August 19, 2026 Artificial intelligence is beginning to weigh most heavily on junior white-collar jobs, according to Goldman Sachs, as new research points to a growing divide between workers entering industries such as consulting and advertising, and their more experienced colleagues. The Wall Street bank analysed employment across more than 800 occupations and found that AI-related hiring pressures [...]
House prices in wealthy London boroughs fall by up to £300,000 August 19, 2026 House prices in London’s most sought-after areas plummeted further in June, with the average price in some postcodes falling by nearly £300,000 year on year. London’s average house price slipped by 2.5 per cent to £554,000 in the year to June, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Though this was a softer fall [...]
Supermarkets ‘actively shielding’ shoppers as food inflation falls again August 19, 2026 Food inflation fell again in July to its lowest level in nearly five years, as retailers claim they are “actively shielding” consumers from worse price rises. The rate of food price inflation slipped to 1.3 per cent last month, down from 1.7 per cent in June, to reach the lowest point since September 2021. Industry [...]