Budget 2026: Healey leans on private sector for defence investment drive Industrials The Chancellor has set up a new defence financing taskforce and unveiled fresh funding for investment in the arms industry amid a concerted effort to lean on the private sector to drive Britain’s rearmament push. John Healey swerved any concrete public sector defence pledges at his maiden Budget, promising to provide detail on how the [...]
Supermarkets blindsided by ‘shambolic’ stockpiling warning Retail Supermarkets have been caught off guard by the government’s “shambolic” campaign to urge Brits to stock up on supplies of food and water, industry sources told City AM. Retailers were not told the details of the government’s “Be Ready” campaign until days before it was announced and expected it to be a more “low key” [...]
Land shortage leaves Nato defence targets at risk, Streeting warned Property The UK risks falling short of Nato defence spending targets unless it immediately slashes planning red tape to address its land shortage, the government has been warned. Demand for defence-related industries and logistics space is set to surge to 32m sq ft by 2033 if the government meets Nato’s defence spending targets. The UK is [...]
Burnham must kill off bonkers Chagos deal for good September 28, 2026 The proposal to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and pay for the privilege appeals to no voters and has lost the support of Donald Trump. Andy Burnham should pull the plug, says Eliot Wilson It became clear early in Sir Keir Starmer’s brief premiership that here was a leader of unusual political [...]
Iceland boss Richard Walker vows to set up shop on Falkland Islands September 4, 2026 The boss of Iceland has waded into the fresh row over the Falkland Islands, vowing to open a supermarket in the British territory. Lord Richard Walker, executive chairman of the retailer, wrote on LinkedIn: “We’ve been supporting the Great British high street for 50 years. “As we continue our international expansion programme, we are committed [...]
London-listed oil driller suffers sharp sell-off over Milei Falklands threats September 4, 2026 Rockhopper, an London-listed oil exploration firm, is battling to slow an investor sell-off after Argentina’s president vowed to sanction any oil companies working near the Falkland Islands. In a national address, Javier Milei emphasised Argentina’s claim over the British territory and promised to sanction any oil companies working there as part of the “British occupation”. [...]
Budget 2026: Which taxes will Burnham and Healey hike? August 25, 2026 With interest rates on course to remain elevated and a new government keen to win over sceptical voters with cost-of-living measures, economists think tax rises at October’s Budget are all but guaranteed. But where will the new Chancellor look for revenue? Ali Lyon and Mauricio Alencar examine the most likely revenue raisers. Speak to any [...]
Rolls-Royce share jump as profit beats expectations July 30, 2026 Rolls-Royce shares jumped on Thursday after the company hiked its targets and posted a near 50 per cent jump in operating profits in the first half of the year, as it reaps the rewards of a boom in defence spending. The FTSE 100 engineering firm said rising profitability across all of its divisions resulted in [...]
Streeting tax policies could cost the Treasury nearly £8bn June 29, 2026 Adopting Wes Streeting’s plans to hike capital gains tax could cost the Treasury billions of pounds and lead to a reduction in retail investment, new analysis suggests. Last month, Streeting, who is reportedly in the running to succeed Rachel Reeves as Chancellor should Andy Burnham enter No 10, proposed that capital gains tax (CGT) should [...]
Burnham’s choice of Chancellor will define his premiership June 29, 2026 Economic policy is so fraught that Burnham must choose from various paths. Retaining Reeves means warmed-over Starmerism; Miliband would be a sign that the Labour Party is tacking left; and choosing Streeting would be an advertisement that the Blairites were getting the band back together. What signal will the next Prime Minister seek to send? [...]