Starmer and Reeves ‘credibility shot’ after pubs tax U-turn, says Badenoch January 11, 2026 The credibility of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves has faced a bruising after they were forced to make a dramatic U-turn on their business rates reform for pubs, the leader of the Conservative party has said. Ministers are set to water down the business rates bombshell slapped on pubs following fierce [...]
Musk hits out at ‘fascist’ UK as row over X and its Grok AI escalates January 10, 2026 Elon Musk has accused Keir Starmer’s Government of being “fascist” after ministers stepped up threats to ban social media site X over AI-generated sexualised images. The tech tycoon claimed critics of his X platform “want any excuse for censorship” as he appeared defiant despite the outcry over the use of the Grok artificial intelligence feature [...]
Migrant visa applications plummet in test to Reeves January 10, 2026 Migrants’ skilled worker visa applications plummeted in December, posing a test to Rachel Reeves and economists at the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to take control of public finances. New figures showed that the number of skilled worker visa applications dropped to 2,500 in December, having increased to a peak of 10,100 in April 2024. [...]
Britain does not have to accept industrial decline January 9, 2026 Britain's industrial decline was not inevitable. It's time to revive Britain's industrial economy as a national priority, writes Rian Chad Whitton.
Pound to suffer ‘until May’ amid Starmer leadership troubles January 9, 2026 Sterling will suffer from speculation over Keir Starmer’s leadership until at least the May elections, economists have predicted, with 2026 tipped to become another year where Westminster infighting sparks City jitters. Analysts at Investec have suggested that the further strengthening of the pound will be held back by continued questions over Starmer’s authority across the [...]
Lloyds shares to offer best cash-back rate in Europe, analysts say January 9, 2026 Lloyds shareholders are set for a bumper few years as analysts predict the bank will continue to splash cash on dividends and buybacks. The bank has been tipped to move to a half-year buyback, in a move that will majorly ramp up the money it hands back to investors. In 2025, Lloyds beat out its [...]
On this day 1799: Britain’s first income tax January 9, 2026 On this day, 9 January 1799, Britain introduced its first 'temporary' income tax. Workers have been vexed ever since, writes Eliot Wilson.
City pushes back against closer ties with EU January 9, 2026 Keir Starmer’s plan to foster closer economic ties with the European Union is likely to exclude financial services after senior City figures pushed back against the reintroduction of EU regulations. The prime minister has called for “closer ties” with the EU in a bid to boost economic growth, with senior cabinet members including justice secretary [...]
Fiscal rules are a ‘self-awarded badge of honour’ that ‘make no difference’ January 9, 2026 Fiscal rules are “largely ineffective” and fail to impose discipline on public expenditure, a new report has said, bringing into question claims made by UK Chancellors and the International Monetary Fund that a clear list of targets can stabilise public finances. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has held up her “iron-clad” fiscal rules, which hinge on changing [...]
Make this the year Britain stops punishing wealth creators January 9, 2026 Britain is now a £1 trillion tax state with the biggest differential between high and low earners in the OECD. Our top 10 per cent face rates comparable to Denmark while middle earners pay less than Americans, except we don’t deliver Scandinavian public services or American entrepreneurship. We’ve stumbled into the worst of all worlds, [...]