As it happened: FTSE 100 slides as bound rout deepens; Oil jumps as Trump vows more strikes on Iran September 1, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The London market is returning from the Bank Holiday break to a fall as tensions in the Middle East are simmering over again leading to the price of oil moving higher. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – climbed over $91 per barrel on Tuesday, [...]
Burnham’s presidential summer is over September 1, 2026 Andy Burnham has been enjoying a presidential summer. He’s communicated with the public through podcasts and social media; delivered the occasional speech; toured the country and generally made his own weather. Today, he’ll come crashing back down to parliamentary reality. Two months ago there were reports that the then mayor of Manchester and Makerfield by [...]
Civil service reform? Burnham is rearranging deck chairs September 1, 2026 Politicians are finally discovering what taxpayers have known for years: the civil service is too big, too expensive and too slow.
‘They want business on board’: How Reform UK is wooing City chiefs at its conference September 1, 2026 Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is on a mission to win over businesses before the next election. Maurício Alencar and Ali Lyon report on how the party’s upcoming conference in Birmingham could determine its political future. By the time Britain’s executives descend on the Reform UK party conference this week, many will already be well-acquainted with [...]
The tax rumours most worrying my clients September 1, 2026 As Budget day creeps over the horizon, JMW partner Craig Harrison writes about which tax rumours are most worrying his clients.
Stealth taxes intensify London first time buyer struggle September 1, 2026 A raft of government stealth taxes is driving the London property market even further into unaffordability for first time buyers, fresh research has found. Freezes in tax bands and thresholds means the average home in the capital now accounts for an eye-watering 14.7 times average earnings after accounting for stamp duty, national insurance and income [...]
Over one million pensioners hit by higher income tax rates September 1, 2026 The number of pensioners paying the highest rates of income tax has doubled in the last five years as frozen thresholds drag more Brits into higher bands. The amount of pensioners paying income tax at 40 per cent or 45 per cent has surpassed one million this current tax year, according to a freedom of [...]
Burnham is ‘not behind’ business confidence bounce September 1, 2026 Andy Burnham’s rise to Number 10 is not the reason for a bounce in business confidence, industry leaders have said. Some analysts have attributed a higher degree of optimism among businesses and consumers in recent months to the “Burnham bounce” and new political direction since Sir Keir Starmer resigned. But influential lobby group the Institute [...]
‘Big Brother’: HMRC agents to target mansions with ponies and pools August 31, 2026 HMRC agents are set to inspect homes with ponies, scenic views and balconies in order to value homes for the “mansion tax”. Officials will be sent to properties to consider architectural styles, numbers of bedrooms and whether homes have swimming pools or tennis courts before determining whether homes should be taxed at a higher rate. [...]
Green activists want to take Polanski down a dark road August 31, 2026 The Greens' absolutism is bad for politics, and Polanski too. Those who police dogma see heretics everywhere, even at the top.