Legal sector continues to grow despite rising costs March 5, 2025 New research indicates that the legal sector remains resilient in uncertain ties after law firms' average earnings experienced single-digit growth.
UK jobs cuts accelerate as firms fret over stagflation March 5, 2025 UK service firms are cutting jobs at the sharpest rate since November 2020 as fears about the state of the economy spread. S&P Global’s latest UK Services PMI, which measures business activity in the services sector, found that 24 per cent of firms cut their employees in February, compared to only 13 per cent which [...]
UK business confidence in crisis, new report says March 5, 2025 More than three quarters of bosses have low confidence in the UK business environment, according to a survey by the Adam Smith Institute (ASI) think tank. The ASI Business Confidence Survey took the temperature of 192 business leaders, who between them represent 100,000 employees – from sectors including finance, retail and manufacturing. It paints a [...]
Chancellor lining up billions in spending cuts as fiscal headroom wiped out March 5, 2025 The Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing to announce “major measures” including substantial spending cuts to a number of government departments – including welfare – in the Spring Statement. According to BBC News, sources said that “the world has changed” since the Budget, and that £9.9bn in fiscal headroom projected by the Office for Budget Responsibility [...]
Net Zero: weak economic growth, high energy prices and stagnant productivity? March 5, 2025 How many times have we heard the argument that there is no trade-off between pursuing Net Zero and economic growth? The argument lies at the heat of the country’s economic, climate and environmental policy debate. The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, repeats the mantra at every opportunity – “clean energy and Net Zero equals good jobs [...]
Canada and Mexico tariffs: No10 stresses ‘balanced’ trade relationship with US March 4, 2025 The UK has a “strong, fair, balanced and reciprocal trading relationship” with the United States, No10 has stressed, as US tariffs came into force against Canada and Mexico. President Trump’s tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico took effect on Tuesday, with global markets put on edge and retaliations planned by the two countries – [...]
A win on the world stage masks mounting trouble at home March 4, 2025 Keir Starmer has won plaudits for his decision to increase defence spending (albeit by less than the amount he’s given Ed Miliband to run a pretend energy company) and voters appear to be firmly behind the PM’s decision to fund this modest splurge by raiding the international development budget. The latest City AM Freshwater Strategy [...]
Navigating the unknown: How Hogan Lovells advises businesses in an unpredictable world March 3, 2025 With the increased geopolitical risks and unpredictability, regulatory and public law specialised lawyers, such as Hogan Lovells, are in the spotlight
Exclusive: Labour overtake Tories as most trusted on defence, poll finds March 3, 2025 Labour has overtaken the Conservatives as the party most trusted to manage the UK’s defence and national security – and Brits overwhelmingly back the plan to fund an increase in defence spending by raiding the international development budget. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party was chosen by 27 per cent of respondents compared to [...]
Small businesses forced to raise prices ahead of national insurance jump March 3, 2025 The price of small businesses’ goods and services is set to be the latest victim of Rachel Reeves’ national insurance hike, a new survey has revealed. More than four-in-ten of the UK’s small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have said the government’s increase in National Insurance Contributions (NIC) for employers will negatively impact them. Nearly a [...]