Torsten Bell: Who is the mastermind behind the 2025 Autumn Budget? August 28, 2025 When parliamentary candidates were revealed ahead of last year’s elections, Torsten Bell was one of the better-known names on Labour’s list. With his glaringly wonkish CV and swaggering way of talking up esoteric economic policies, he seemed primed to one day leave his mark on a Budget. According to the New Statesman, his opportunity to [...]
Drax faces FCA probe amid allegations of misleading biomass sourcing August 28, 2025 The City watchdog has launched a probe into British power firm Drax over several issues, including statements regarding its biomass sourcing. The London-listed group informed its shareholders this morning that it was notified on Tuesday that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had commenced an investigation into the group. Drax stated that the probe covers the [...]
Services sector in one year of pessimism, CBI suggests August 28, 2025 The UK services sector’s pessimism in business prospects has now lasted a full year, a new survey has found, providing further evidence that the trust between businesses and the Labour government has broken down. Labour ministers have rolled out a number of strategy papers over the last months to offer firms across the country a [...]
Mental health overdiagnosis ‘costs £16bn a year’ August 28, 2025 The overdiagnosis of mental health illness in young people costs the UK around £16bn a year, a new report has suggested, with former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt claiming policies he introduced around Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) required “stretching questions”. Research by the right-leaning think tank Policy Exchange has found that the overdiagnosis of mental [...]
Retailers’ woes stretch into second day after bearish Deutsche note August 27, 2025 A sell-off affecting some of the UK’s largest retailers has extended into a second day, after an analyst warned the spectre of higher taxes in the Autumn Budget, a softening labour market and sticky inflation will dent consumers’ spending habits. Shares in AB Foods, Wickes and B&Q-owner Kingfisher all shed between one and 1.5 per [...]
England’s fertility rate drops to record low August 27, 2025 The fertility rate across England and Wales has fallen to a record low, according to official figures, which is likely to fuel clashes between policymakers and economists over immigration controls. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that the total fertility rate, which is measured by the number of children women would expect to [...]
NDA ban and bereavement leave add extra £80m to UK Employment Bill August 27, 2025 The new amendment to the Employment Rights Bill, including banning the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), will add an additional £80m a year in costs to UK businesses. According to the employment team at TWM Solicitors, the new clauses introduced in July are expected to increase the existing government forecast of £5bn by at least [...]
National Wealth Fund pumps millions into battery storage developer August 27, 2025 The National Wealth Fund has joined forces with two investment firms as part of a £500m venture to enhance the UK’s battery storage facilities. The consortium – including infrastructure asset manager Equitix and Australian pension fund Aware Super – will “build, own and operate grid-scale battery storage assets” via an investment in developer Eelpower Energy. [...]
Prudential: FTSE 100 insurer pledges $5bn in shareholder returns August 27, 2025 FTSE 100 insurer Prudential said it had reached its “inflection point” on Wednesday after growing profit and kicking off a hefty program of returns of investors. The firm recorded a six per cent increase in adjusted operating profit before tax to $1.6bn (£1.2bn). Life weighted premium income, which indicates the volume of new business, increased [...]
Tax: What should Reeves do in the Autumn Budget? August 27, 2025 As rumours swirl about which taxes Rachel Reeves may target this autumn, Tim Sarson lays out what the Chancellor can (and should) do.