Local authorities thwart housebuilding with ‘manifestly unfair’ council tax raid on developers May 28, 2026 Cash-strapped local authorities across Britain are thwarting efforts to increase housebuilding by hitting property developers with steep council tax bills as soon as their homes are listed as complete, an influential industry body has warned. In a paper shared with City AM, the boss of the Home Builders Federation (HBF) accused local councils of slapping [...]
Starmer’s social media ban puts emotions above data May 28, 2026 By parading grieving parents through Downing Street, Number 10 risks presenting a false picture of the dangers of social media.
Ask the expert: Should I invest instead of buying a home? May 28, 2026 Fidelity personal financial specialist Marianna Hunt is back on hand to answer your burning questions, and today a reader wants to know whether to take the plunge and buy a property or invest. Q. I’m in my late 20s and have managed to save around £20,000, which I initially thought I’duse as a deposit to [...]
Is it time to acknowledge Brazil’s investment opportunities? May 27, 2026 Brazil reclaimed its place in the world’s top 10 economies in 2023 and has retained it ever since. Now, in the second quarter of 2026, its stock market has become the most successful in South America, helping the country become the main centre for capital in the region. Sao Paolo is home to the B3 [...]
‘It’s important we increase spending’: Treasury minister defends triple lock pension May 27, 2026 A Treasury minister has defended the triple lock pension as a sustainable policy despite former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair attacking the benefit for being unaffordable. Dan Tomlinson said it was “important we have the triple lock and that we increase spending on pensioners”, doubling down on the controversial manifesto commitment that has been criticised [...]
Tony Blair accuses Starmer of damaging economy by clinging to manifesto pledges May 27, 2026 Sir Tony Blair has taken a swipe at Sir Keir Starmer for sticking to campaign pledges from Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which he says are economically damaging and should have been dropped “right at the outset.” In a 5,000-word essay published by his think tank, Labour’s longest serving PM pointed out that Budgets put forward by [...]
Energy price cap to jump 13 per cent this summer May 27, 2026 UK households will be hit by a sharp £200 rise in energy bills next month, leaving Brits bracing for a painful winter of higher bills off the back of the Iran war. From 1 July to 30 September the annual energy price cap will be £1,862 per year, up from the current cap of £1,641, [...]
As it happened: US-Iran peace hopes sends oil lower; Brits handed energy price cap blow May 27, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Global markets were able to take the new developments in the Middle East in their stride on Tuesday amid hopes a peace deal was on the horizon. The FTSE 100 ended the day in the green and despite some choppy trading oil prices eased. This [...]
Andy Briggs: UK is hurtling towards a pensions disaster May 27, 2026 Without radical change, Britain will find itself amidst a pensions disaster, with millions worse off, writes Andy Briggs.
Starmer’s steel tariffs are as hare-brained as Trump’s May 27, 2026 Contrary to supporting the industry, Starmer's steel tariffs will push manufacturing offshore and invite retaliatory EU action, writes Andrew Griffith.