Don’t underestimate the free trade agreement Britain just joined September 4, 2026 The UK’s entry into the CPTPP, the world's largest free trade area that does not include the US, EU or China, should not be underestimated.
Lloyd’s boss warns of ‘man-made catastrophes’ as Iran war hits insurance industry September 4, 2026 Squeezed by inflation and rising geopolitical tensions, the historic insurance market Lloyd’s of London suffered a hit to its profit in the first half of the year. Nowhere was this impact more acute than in its marine business, which faced severe pressure at the height of the US war with Iran. Over the past six [...]
Farage vows to call ‘national emergency’ on day one September 3, 2026 Nigel Farage would call a “national emergency” to highlight the country’s woes after successive Tory and Labour governments. Under plans proposed by a Reform government, Farage would make MPs sit in parliament seven days a week to pass bills written by the government, including through the summer. At a speech on Friday at the Reform [...]
Jenrick refuses to rule out bank tax September 3, 2026 Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman refused to rule out a banking tax mooted by the party’s leader Nigel Farage, who said he would hit lenders because he didn’t “like” them. Speaking at a Reform conference event organised by City industry representatives, Jenrick said the party had not committed to banking taxes. However, the party’s economic chief [...]
Healey’s adviser warns ‘you won’t grow the economy just by spending more’ September 3, 2026 John Healey’s entrepreneurship adviser has warned that growth cannot be achieved by government spending and policy announcements, in a rebuke to the Chancellor and Andy Burnham as they draw up their first budget. Alexandra Depledge, the founder of property start-up Resi, who has been reappointed as entrepreneurship adviser to the Chancellor, wrote on Linkedin that [...]
INEOS boss: North Sea decommissioning is ideological and destructive September 3, 2026 From 2029, decommissioning spending will overtake capital investment in the North Sea. This is economic self-harm, writes Brian Gilvary.
Zack Polanski to stand in by-election for Keir Starmer’s seat September 3, 2026 Green Party leader Zack Polanski will stand to become an MP in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election after Sir Keir Starmer quit parliament. Polanski, who is currently a London Assembly member, is solidly backed by Green Party members to stand as the party’s candidate in what has historically been considered as a Labour safe [...]
Services sector cuts jobs for nearly two years under cost pressures September 3, 2026 Employment in the UK’s services sector dropped for the 23rd consecutive month in August as businesses maintained hiring freezes and trimmed headcounts following cost pressures. S&P’s latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for the services industry – which is closely monitored by economists – revealed the sector has continued its longest continuous stretch of workforce reductions [...]
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 [...]