M&G: FTSE 100 giant hits out at Rayner’s ground rent cap as it suffers loss September 3, 2026 Asset manager M&G has swung to a loss driven by the Labour government’s introduction of a cap on existing ground rents. The FTSE 100 group hit out at the government after it reported a £165m loss for the first six months of the year, driven by a £325m write-down eating into its bottom-line. In its [...]
Burnham calls for honesty then sticks his head in the sand September 3, 2026 Andy Burnham declared this week that “change begins with honesty.” My ears pricked up. Was our new Prime Minister about to deliver some hard truths? Of course he wasn’t. The honesty Burnham had in mind was very much “his truth” rather than “the truth.” We were told that all the country’s problems were down to [...]
The Debate: Is university now a waste of money? September 3, 2026 As graduates struggle to find jobs, let alone those that are well paid, is university still worth the cost? We hear the case for and against.
£74m for branded condoms? UK must stop spaffing cash on foreign aid September 3, 2026 Labour is plotting to reverse cuts to foreign aid, but the UK's spending history reveals a questionable use of funds, writes Anne Strickland.
Andrew Griffith: Burnham ‘making up stories’ about my role in Truss Budget September 3, 2026 Andrew Griffith has accused Andy Burnham of “making up stories” about his involvement in the disastrous Liz Truss mini-Budget as the new Conservative shadow Chancellor fends off a barrage of attack lines from the Prime Minister following his appointment by Kemi Badenoch on Monday. Addressing the House of Commons on Tuesday and again at Prime [...]
Badenoch: Cut benefits to fund £10bn defence spending package September 2, 2026 Kemi Badenoch has urged the government to cut housing benefits, child benefits and re-route public investment in order to fund a £10bn boost on defence spending every year. The Tory leader, who had previously called for an increase in defence expenditure without laying out full funding plans, said that Chancellor John Healey “should adopt” plans [...]
Burnham refuses to rule out more borrowing and blames Tories for debt crisis September 2, 2026 Andy Burnham has refused to rule out borrowing more and raising taxes to fund his government’s spending plans, as he blamed the UK’s vulnerability to a global bond rout on the Conservatives. Speaking at his first Prime Minister’s Questions, Burnham said spiralling debt costs in the UK, which have hit near two-decade highs in recent [...]
Mortgage nightmare as investors price in three interest rate hikes September 2, 2026 Investors have priced in three interest rate hikes over the next two years as a global bond market rout sent UK gilt yields soaring. Two-year gilt yields, which gauges short term interest rate expectations, have jumped over 4.5 per cent, pushing up borrowing costs and putting the UK’s economic stability under threat. The Bank of [...]
‘Large tax hikes on the way’: How the global bond rout is boxing in Healey September 2, 2026 Chancellor John Healey is likely to roll-out “large tax hikes” at this year’s Budget due to a rout in global bond markets pushing up the cost of government borrowing, economists have said. A jump in the 10-year gilt yield to the highest level since August 2007 could “further erode” the £22.7bn level of fiscal headroom [...]
IMF sounds alarm on borrowing costs surge as bond rout deepens September 2, 2026 The global rise in borrowing costs is a “particular concern,” the International Monetary Fund has said, as UK bond yields reach a level last seen in the financial crisis. The yield on the 10-year UK gilt climbed four basis points on Wednesday morning to near 5.27 per cent, which followed the previous day’s rally that [...]