Uber prices set to soar as ministers introduce VAT crackdown January 2, 2026 Prices on ride hailing apps like Uber are set to soar, after the government ploughed ahead with a promise to apply VAT to online mini cab companies despite warnings from the industry that the move would worsen the cost of living. From Friday, private hire vehicle operators in London will no longer be able to [...]
Britain lost one pub a day in 2025 December 31, 2025 One pub a day closed its doors in 2025 as businesses were forced to battle mounting cost pressures and an increasingly heavy tax burden. Fresh analysis from global tax firm Ryan showed 366 pubs were demolished or converted for other uses in the last 12 months. Since 2020, nearly 2,000 pubs have closed for good, [...]
Britain stuck at bottom of G7 for total investment as Labour’s policies backfire December 31, 2025 Rachel Reeves has come under fire after fresh data revealed Britain was stuck in last place among the world’s seven largest economies for total investment. Public and private investment marked just 18.6 per cent of GDP in the three months to September, placing the UK last among the G7 nations. Whilst it is a trend [...]
London Stock Exchange needs more ‘hustle’ to attract IPOs, says Octopus chief December 31, 2025 The boss of Octopus Energy Group has said the London Stock Exchange needs to show more “hustle” to attract new listing candidates like the group’s tech arm, Kraken. Greg Jackson, chief executive of Octopus, said whilst he would “love” for Kraken to list in the City, but added the London Stock Exchange (LSE) needs to [...]
Majority of Brits think economy is getting worse December 30, 2025 A majority of Brits think the economy is getting worse, with sentiment souring significantly amid rising prices and weak growth. Nearly six in ten Brits believe the UK economy is on a downward spiral, a major jump from 43 per cent at the beginning of the year, marking a significant blow to Chancellor Rachel Reeves [...]
Private equity firms sell assets to themselves at a record rate in 2025 December 30, 2025 Private equity firms sold companies to themselves at an unprecedented rate this year, using a controversial tactic to hold on to assets as managers struggled to find buyers or list their investments. First reported in the Financial Times, roughly a fifth of all private equity (PE) sales in 2025 involved groups raising money from new [...]
House prices plunge around London with Brighton, Crawley hit hardest December 30, 2025 Patches of London’s ‘stockbroker belt’ suffered the most significant decline in house prices this year, as both the capital and the South East fell behind northern regions. The West Sussex town of Crawley suffered an 8.9 per cent drop of £36,317, while High Wycombe saw a 7.4 per cent drop, with £34,994 wiped off house [...]
UK consumers cut spending amid wider economic nerves December 30, 2025 UK consumers’ debit and credit card spending slumped in 2025 for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic as wider economic nerves knocked confidence. Card spending fell 0.2 per cent in the last 12 months, according to Barclays, a sharp contrast to the 1.6 per cent growth recorded in 2024. Just a quarter of British [...]
Center Parcs: UK pension funds in talks for stake in holiday giant December 27, 2025 A number of Britain’s biggest public sector pension schemes are understood to be eyeing a stake in the holiday giant Center Parcs after the Treasury ramped up its efforts for funds to invest in UK-based assets. The Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF), the London-based Local Pension Partnership (LPPI) and the Edinburgh-based Lothian Pension Scheme are [...]
Starmer’s future hinges on May election reckoning, polling expert says December 27, 2025 The future of Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership hinges on the forthcoming May elections where the Labour party is expected to take a bruising, a polling expert has said. Conservative peer Lord Robert Hayward said: “A few months ago it looked as if May 7 would be decisive for the leaderships of both Labour and Conservatives. [...]