UK economy: Only three sectors report growth as Reeves’ woes deepen January 20, 2025 The number of sectors seeing higher output in December was at its lowest level since September 2023.
Priti Patel: Labour should focus on negotiating with Trump instead of ‘disparaging comments’ January 19, 2025 Labour should focus on starting negotiations with Donald Trump, rather than making “disrespectful and disparaging comments”, shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel has said. She told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News: “I think we have to respect the fact that he has a very significant mandate. The American people voted clearly, categorically, [...]
UK gilt auction oversubscribed as investors buy through market turmoil January 14, 2025 The auction comes ahead of crucial inflation data tomorrow.
CBI chair Rupert Soames: Reeves has created a ‘hole in the trust of business’ January 13, 2025 Rachel Reeves has created a “hole in the confidence and trust of business” by using the private sector to fill a £22bn hole in the government’s finances, the chair of the UK’s top business body has said. Rupert Soames, chair of the Confederation of British Industry, said the Chancellor had “bruised” British companies after rolling [...]
Morrisons joins farmers in fight against Budget tax hike January 12, 2025 Morrisons shows its support towards the farming community, backing its call for urgent reforms to inheritance tax policies on farms following Rachel Reeves’ October Budget. In a LinkedIn video released on Saturday, Sophie Throup, the supermarket’s head of agriculture, emphasised the major Morrisons’ ongoing advocacy, reeling from the Chancellor’s sweeping inheritance tax levy. In October, [...]
Bond tumult prompts comparisons with Britain’s 1970s debt crisis January 9, 2025 The turmoil engulfing the UK gilt market has shades of the country’s debt crisis in the 1970s which culminated in the then Labour government needing a bailout from the IMF, according to multiple financial heavyweights. Nigel Green, chief executive of of the the world’s largest independent advisory businesses, called the market bedlam, which has seen [...]
Go further to revive the City of London, voters tell Starmer and Reeves January 8, 2025 Keir Starmer’s government must do more to support the City of London after a bruising year in which fresh IPOs have fallen off a cliff and scores of firms have been picked off by private buyers, a survey of voters has suggested. According to the first of a new monthly City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll, more [...]
Retail insolvencies set to surge as Budget bites, experts warn December 30, 2024 A wave of insolvencies could be coming to the retail and hospitality sectors next year as businesses crumble under the tax bill brought on by Labour’s Budget, bosses have warned. Insolvencies and restructuring could rise further over the start of 2025 as firms face increased cost pressures, industry experts have said, with the retail, hospitality [...]
Relief for Reeves as business outlook brightens for new year December 30, 2024 UK businesses have defied the negative sentiment which has defined the latter part of the year and predicted an upswing in 2025. More UK businesses are expecting a stronger start to 2025 than they did entering 2024, new research from Lloyds Business Barometer has found. Seven in ten UK businesses expect to see their turnover [...]
Travelodge turns to robot vacuums amid budget hotel chain facing £21m costs hike November 28, 2024 Travelodge has revealed it is facing a £21m hike in costs in 2025 following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget. The budget hotel group has warned it will see the increase because of the combined impact of another minimum wage hike in April as well as a higher rate of employer national insurance set to push up [...]