Mercer: Pension funds need better pick of UK investments for key deal to work May 1, 2025 The government’s proposed pensions deal will not boost growth unless better UK investment opportunities are put on offer, the boss of one of Britain’s biggest funds has warned. In an interview with City AM, Benoit Hudon suggested a stronger pipeline of UK assets was needed as current options did not deliver good enough returns for [...]
Labour to be handed ‘spying powers’ on bank accounts in Fraud Bill April 30, 2025 Labour is facing fresh questions over its Fraud Bill, which has been slammed for handing the government “spying powers”. The legislation, which passed in the Commons on Wednesday, bulks up the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) ability to recover money directly from fraudsters’ bank accounts. The DWP pledged the reforms would deliver “the biggest [...]
Recruitment surges for employment lawyers as businesses worry about worker rights overhaul April 30, 2025 Law firms are actively seeking to bulk out their practices as the pending employment law overhaul drives uncertainty at businesses
Fresh row over plan to mandate pension fund investments April 30, 2025 A row has erupted over reports the government is plotting to set mandates on pension fund allocations, while the chief architect of the so-called Mansion House reforms – which aimed to encourage the deployment of pension fund assets into unlisted equities – has distanced himself from the move. Pension bosses are understood to have been [...]
Taxes and tariffs combine to ‘drag business sentiment’ April 30, 2025 The double whammy of Rachel Reeves’ taxes and Donald Trump’s tariffs have dragged confidence in business volumes to their lowest level in more than two years, fresh data has found, further clouding prospects for the British economy. The UK has already suffered from lacklustre growth over the last few years as real GDP only expanded [...]
Tony Blair is right to call for ‘reset’ of ludicrous Net Zero debate April 30, 2025 If energy secretary Ed Miliband still believes that critics of his dash to Net Zero are peddlers of “nonsense and lies” he has a new name to add to his list of dangerous misinformation merchants: Tony Blair. I do appreciate that some people believe that his name belongs on exactly that kind of list, but [...]
Reeves unveils new crypto rules as she promises to back UK fintech April 29, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves pledged to back UK fintech as she unveiled new crypto rules during a landmark address to industry executives on Tuesday. Speaking at Innovate Finance’s 11th global fintech summit, Reeves pledged to support growth and consumers through new “clear” outlines for digital assets. The fresh crypto legislation follows on from the Treasury’s launch [...]
Rate setter calls for market digitalisation and touts Bank of England’s flexibility April 29, 2025 Bank of England rate setter Dave Ramsden has called for bold action on digitalisation in a rebuke of concerns that the Bank’s prescriptive rules were stifling innovation. Speaking at the Innovate Finance Global Summit on Tuesday, the central bank Deputy Governor said widespread innovation in wholesale financial markets from authorities and industry would boost the [...]
Bank of England ‘analysing’ end of dollar’s prestige April 29, 2025 The Bank of England’s stability watchdog is assessing the potential impacts of the dollar’s recent slump after President Trump’s tariffs spooked investors. Sam Woods, head of the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Bank deputy governor, suggested that the first month of Trump’s global trade war had diminished the dollar’s status as a safe haven currency. [...]
ABF weighs closing Yorkshire plant after accusing government of ‘undermining’ viability April 29, 2025 More than 100 jobs could be at risk after the owner of a Yorkshire bioethanol plant said it was considering shutting down the facility, blaming the move on the government “undermining” its viability. The Salt End, Kingston upon Hull-based plant, which is operated by Vivergo and employs around 150 staff, has swung to a loss [...]