Starmer accused of ‘fudging the facts’ of his schooling by education expert February 1, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer has faced accusations of “fudging the facts” about his education, from the founder of a social mobility charity. Sutton Trust founder Sir Peter Lampl, who went to the same school as the Prime Minister, Reigate Grammar, made the claim as he attacked the government’s plans to charge VAT on private school fees. [...]
Astrazeneca cancels £450m vaccine plant, blaming state funding cut January 31, 2025 Astrazeneca has cancelled a planned £450m investment in a vaccine manufacturing plant in Merseyside, saying Labour have failed to match the previous government’s offer of funding. It sees the pharmaceutical firm scrap plans to expand its existing facility in Speke, as announced by then-chancellor Jeremy Hunt at last year’s March budget, as first reported by [...]
The Week in Business: is Reeves right to be an optimist? January 31, 2025 Rachel Reeves has been reset, but should we buy into this new optimistic Chancellor?
Rachel Reeves says tax-hiking Budget was needed to stop economic calamity January 30, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has defended her tax-hiking Budget today, saying that without the changes to national insurance, the government would have lost control of the economy. Speaking on Time Radio this morning, Reeves said she recognises there are “consequences to increasing National Insurance,” but the “consequences of irresponsibility would have been far greater” had the [...]
Politicians should drop their obsession with Silicon Valley January 30, 2025 Successive British politicians have reached for Silicon Valley – or the idea of Silicon Valley – every time they’ve wanted to project a vision of the future. In 2010 David Cameron set out plans to turn East London into “a world-leading tech city to rival Silicon Valley.” Seven years later, Theresa May’s government was still [...]
AIM and Aquis: London’s junior stock markets under threat without ‘urgent action’ from Reeves January 30, 2025 The government must take “urgent action” to revive London’s junior stock markets AIM and Aquis or risk more firms flooding overseas this year, a top City group has warned. In a new report today, The City UK, a trade body representing the UK’s financial services sector, called on the Chancellor Rachel Reeves and financial regulators [...]
‘Not a second to waste’: City of London calls for action to back up Reeves plans January 29, 2025 The City of London has warned the government there “isn’t a second to waste” in pushing through its growth plans today after the Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out proposals designed to kickstart investment into the economy. In a speech in Oxfordshire, Reeves looked to reset the government’s economic agenda in a speech which committed to [...]
Chancellor Rachel Reeves ‘won’t apologise’ for reforming UK regulation January 29, 2025 Rachel Reeves has said that she “won’t apologise for wanting to reform how regulation works in Britain” after a major economic speech which saw her back a third runway at Heathrow. The Chancellor unveiled a suite of policies the Treasury said would “kickstart” economic growth, including an “action plan” intended to instil a pro-growth approach [...]
Heathrow: Sadiq Khan ‘remains opposed’ to third runway January 29, 2025 Sadiq Khan has confirmed he “remains opposed” to a third runway at Heathrow Airport, putting him on a collision course with Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The mayor of London responded to Reeves’ announcement of the government’s backing for the UK’s only hub airport to expand its facilities during her economic speech on Wednesday. Khan said: “I [...]
‘Deregulation is essential’: Starmer vows to slash red tape in bid for growth January 29, 2025 Keir Starmer vowed to deregulate Britain and cut through “thickets of red tape” today as he tried to reboot his government’s handling of the economy following months of anaemic growth and criticism from business. In an article for the Times, the Prime Minister wrote “deregulation is essential” and warned investors were shunning the UK due [...]