UK consumer confidence is tanking warns KPMG March 25, 2025 Three in five Brits believe the UK economy is worsening, a new survey by KPMG has shown, as Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement risks failing to lift people’s spirits. Reeves is set to announce policies aimed at economic business confidence at her Spring Statement on Wednesday but a new survey suggests consumers are increasingly downbeat [...]
Reeves crosses her fingers and hopes for growth March 25, 2025 Ahead of last October’s Budget, ministers allowed months of speculation as to what would be unveiled, and the never-ending drumbeat of doom and gloom talked the economy to a standstill. Largely as a result of the contents and consequences of that Budget, economic growth has since evaporated and now all eyes are on this week’s [...]
Labour’s National Wealth Fund slammed for ‘completely misleading’ rebrand March 25, 2025 The government has been accused of “gaslighting the British public” over its National Wealth Fund as the Treasury committee announced on Monday it had launched an inquiry into the new body. Originally a fixture of Labour’s 2024 manifesto – the National Wealth Fund was to consolidate the British Business Bank and the UK Infrastructure Bank, [...]
Heathrow fire ‘not believed suspicious’ but under Met counter-terror probe March 24, 2025 The cause of the fire which shut down Heathrow Airport is “not believed to be suspicious” but is under investigation by the Met Police counter-terrorism squad, a minister has said. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander updated MPs on the “unprecedented” power outage which shut Britain’s busiest airport over the weekend in the House of Commons on [...]
Small businesses at ‘breaking point’ ahead of Spring Statement March 24, 2025 Small businesses are at “breaking point” just days ahead of Rachel Reeves‘ Spring Statement, an insurance boss has warned. Almost one in five small business owners have said they will be forced out of business within a year due to bleak economic conditions, according to data from Simply Business. As many fear the increasing costs [...]
Reeves told to use Spring Statement to fix ‘unintended consequences’ of Budget March 24, 2025 Rachel Reeves must use the Spring Statement to fix the “unintended consequences” of her Autumn Budget, the boss of a tax services firm has said. Tom Shave, President of the Europe and Asia-Pacific division at Ryan, has urged the Chancellor to use Wednesday’s update to provide businesses under economic pressure necessary support. Shave anticipated Reeves’ [...]
Spring Statement won’t ‘alter basics’, Starmer insists, amid tax cuts reports March 24, 2025 The Spring Statement this week will not “alter the basics” of public spending plans, Sir Keir Starmer has insisted.
MPs’ salaries to hit £93,904 in April March 24, 2025 It has been confirmed that MPs’ salaries will rise by almost three per cent to £93,904 in the next financial year. Parliament’s expenses watchdog has announced members of the House of Commons will benefit from a 2.8 per cent increase in pay from next month. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) said the pay rise [...]
Mid-sized firms will add two million jobs to UK economy by 2028, BDO says March 24, 2025 Mid-sized businesses could add £745bn to the UK economy in the next three years, according to new research by the financial services firm BDO. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has set out her ambitions to deliver growth “further and faster”, but her plans have come under fire as the Office for Budget Responsibility looks set to halve [...]
Editor’s Interview: Charles Tyrwhitt founder – ‘No point whinging about the government’ March 24, 2025 The founder of Charles Tyrwhitt, Nick Wheeler, has told City AM that there’s “no point whinging about what the government are doing or not doing, because they’re not going to change,” adding “I’ve got to get on and make my own decisions.” His comments came during an interview with City AM in which he lamented [...]