What does new City minister Rachel Blake have in store for the Square Mile? May 15, 2026 The Westminster drama has hit the City in more ways than one. After Wes Streeting’s resignation triggered a mini-reshuffle, Felix Armstrong and Samuel Norman take a look at what the new City minister might have in store. In just under two years, the City has its fourth minister. Tulip Siddiq resigned in January 2025 after [...]
As it happened: UK borrowing costs rattled by Burnham’s Parliament bid May 15, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Andy Burnham has made his move – and it has left markets on edge. On Thursday evening, after markets had closed, a Labour MP sensationally announced their intention to stand aside to allow Burnham to make his way back into Parliament. And this morning it’s left gilt yields [...]
As it happened: Markets on high alert as Streeting calls on Starmer to resign May 14, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The past few days of political drama have to come to a head today and UK assets are bracing for a showdown. All eyes were on the bond market after Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary and called for a leadership contest. Gilt yields see-sawed yesterday as Sir [...]
Andy Burnham confirms Westminster run as Wes Streeting resigns from government May 14, 2026 Andy Burnham has declared his intention to stand in a by-election after a sitting Labour MP quit to make way for him. The current Mayor of Manchester will seek permission from Labour’s ruling body to stand in the Makerfield constituency after Josh Simons announced he would vacate the seat. In a statement, Burnham said: “Millions [...]
Starmer drama: Traders bet against UK as short-selling on pound and banks surges May 14, 2026 Traders are betting against the UK as the political storm in Westminster continues to send jitters through asset markets. The pound has tumbled to a two-week low against the dollar, clinging onto the $1.35 mark on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, figures from IG revealed that short-positioning on the pound-dollar, a bet that the price will further [...]
Reeves sends Labour MPs warning over bond market wrath May 14, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has sent anxious Labour backbenchers a stark warning on the wrath of bond markets in a bold intervention. After walking into Downing Street on Thursday morning, the Chancellor told the BBC that leadership battles risked “plunging the country into chaos”. She demanded that backbenchers maintained support for the Prime Minister as she [...]
UK enjoyed surprise growth in March but economy ‘in for a rough ride’ May 14, 2026 The UK economy’s momentum continued as growth was higher than expected in March, official figures have shown, in what may precede months of expected gloom. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that GDP growth was 0.3 per cent in March. This contributed to overall growth of 0.6 per cent in the first quarter. The [...]
Time to Aim higher: ‘No visible effect’ of flagship pensions overhaul a year on, industry chief warns May 14, 2026 Britain’s embattled small-cap companies have not yet felt any positive impact from the Mansion House Accord, the boss of an influential industry body has warned, a year on from the UK’s largest pension providers agreeing to plough more cash into unlisted and private assets. In a letter sent to all 17 of the pact’s signatories, [...]
Ministers to be handed ‘statutory powers’ to steer regulator’s growth agenda May 13, 2026 Ministers will be handed new “statutory powers” to steer UK watchdog’s growth agenda and define what it means in different “regulatory contexts“. In the King’s Speech, the government revealed its Regulating for Growth Bill – a cross-sector piece of legislation designed to beef up the UK’s regulatory system’s fostering of growth. The government’s report takes [...]
Labour leadership turmoil to cost Reeves up to £12bn May 13, 2026 Labour’s political infighting could cost Chancellor Rachel Reeves up to £12bn, analysis by a Wall Street bank has suggested. Hot-tempered bond markets and stunted growth – a consequence of further political instability – would knock around £12bn off the Chancellor’s fiscal headroom, Goldman Sachs warned. While the £12bn hit to public finances would not erase [...]