Budget 2025: Lloyds, Natwest and Barclays brace for a tax raid? September 1, 2025 Ahead of the 2024 Autumn Budget, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned Labour’s first fiscal event was “going to be painful”. He added those with the broadest shoulders “should bear the heavier burden” as Chancellor Rachel Reeves battled against an alleged ‘£22bn black hole’ inherited from the Conservative government. After lobbying efforts, banks were spared [...]
Rachel Reeves’ winter fuel raid to raise £1.3bn less than hoped August 29, 2025 Rachel Reeves’ fiscal agenda has been dealt another chilling blow with new data revealing savings from the winter fuel allowance will be lower than hoped after Labour’s row back. The Chancellor’s winter fuel raid will raise £1.3bn less than originally planned before the government U-turned following a rebellion from backbenchers. Just £227m is set to [...]
Rachel Reeves told ‘copy Margaret Thatcher’ with bank tax raid August 29, 2025 Britain’s banking titans are back in the hot seat as Rachel Reeves faces renewed calls to hike taxes on lenders. The self-described “iron Chancellor” has been advised to take a leaf out of Margaret Thatcher’s book with a fresh levy on banks that would hand the Treasury up to £8bn a year. The levy – [...]
Government takes control of UK’s third-largest steelworks after collapse August 21, 2025 The UK government has taken control of the country’s third-largest steelworks as near 1,500 workers face uncertainty. Speciality Steels UK (SSUK), which owns major sites such as Liberty Steel in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was put into compulsory liquidation after insolvency courts granted a winding-up order sought by creditors. The creditors said they were owned hundreds [...]
UK fintech investment slumps despite push from Rachel Reeves August 11, 2025 Fintech investment across the UK suffered another downturn in the first half of the year despite Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ bold ambitions for the sector. Total UK fintech investment fell to $7.2bn (£5.36bn) – a drop of five per cent from the same period in 2024. The decline, revealed in KPMG’s bi-annual Pulse of Fintech report, [...]
Rachel Reeves at odds with Bank of England over Revolut licence bid July 29, 2025 Rachel Reeves has clashed with the governor of the Bank of England after trying to support Revolut in its protracted regulatory process to secure a full banking licence. The Chancellor is reported to have attempted to secure a meeting between financial watchdogs and Revolut in hopes of pushing forward its banking licence bid. But the [...]
Mansion House speech: Could Chancellor turbo-charge sport? July 15, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Mansion House speech this evening could turbo-charge overseas investment into UK sport, say industry experts. The speech, in front of City grandees, is set to confirm a so-called government “concierge service” for wealthy investors aimed at providing advice on visas, regulation and other barriers to entry. The service could help overseas investment [...]
Natwest boss: No path to growth without financial services July 14, 2025 The boss of banking juggernaut Natwest has issued a final plea to Rachel Reeves on the eve of her Mansion House speech, urging the Chancellor to fully unleash financial services’ growth potential. Paul Thwaite, Natwest’s chief executive, said there was “no path to growth without [financial services]” as he called for Reeves to make key [...]
Rachel Reeves risks ‘serious damage’ with tax hikes, OBR member warns July 11, 2025 Fears of another Rachel Reeves’ tax raid are growing after fresh figures revealed the economy shrank in May, but a member of the OBR has warned the Chancellor against drastic measures, including tax hikes. The Chancellor is facing renewed pressure, with economists warning that the government’s £190bn spending splurge, sporadic U-turns, and poor growth figures are set [...]
Reeves warned ‘undermining cash ISAs a serious mistake’ July 9, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned that “undermining” cash ISAs would be a “serious mistake” and could hike the cost of mortgages and make them harder to access. Skipton Building Society has joined the chorus of institutions voicing their concerns ahead of the Chancellor’s Mansion House speech next week where she is expected to announce a [...]