By: Felix Armstrong

Retail Reporter Felix Armstrong is City AM's retail reporter, covering retail, hospitality and property news. He has previously written for The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The i Paper. Email Felix at Felix.Armstrong@cityam.com

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Reeves rent freeze: How did Chancellor turn to a Mamdani-style policy controversy?

April 28, 2026

Reports of plans in Downing Street for a rent freeze came as a shock after a housing minister said Labour opposes the policy. Felix Armstrong explores why rent controls stoke so much controversy, from New York to Sweden. Rumours that Rachel Reeves is considering slapping a freeze on private rents shocked the property market on [...]
Taylor Wimpey sales fall as Iran war pushes up building costs

April 28, 2026

Leading housebuilder Taylor Wimpey is bracing for rising costs in its supply chain as the industry warns of soaring building inflation caused by the Iran war. The housebuilder’s warning prompted its stock to dip in early trading, pushing its share price down as much as 4.7 per cent on Tuesday. The FTSE 250 firm’s order [...]
Reeves rent freeze proposal dubbed ‘disaster’ for renters and landlords

April 28, 2026

Rachel Reeves has fuelled rumours she is considering a rent freeze as leading economists said the policy would be a “disaster” for renters and landlords. Addressing the Commons on Tuesday afternoon, the Chancellor was asked by a Labour MP to implement a freeze on private rents. “I will do everything in my power and use [...]
Tories pledge to scrap mandatory time off for union reps

April 27, 2026

The Conservative Party has pledged to scrap the legal requirement for employers to offer paid time off for union representatives. Tory shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith will announce the policy on Monday, which he says will free up taxpayer cash to be spent on cutting NHS waiting lists and filling potholes. Union reps are currently [...]
Government urged to reform ‘growth killer’ business rates

April 27, 2026

Britain’s largest industry body has called on the government to urgently reform business rates, which it says is a “growth killer”. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said the government should keep its manifesto pledge to reform the business rates system as a matter of urgency. Business rates is a tax determined by the [...]
Guaranteed hours rules would threaten jobs, government warned

April 27, 2026

Four leading trade bodies have warned the government that new rules around guaranteed hours would increase unemployment and prevent young people from entering the jobs market. The industry bodies have raised concerns over Labour’s guaranteed hours policy, a part of the Employment Rights Act which became law in December. The British Retail Consortium, Food and [...]
‘National scandal’: Record-high shoplifting driven by repeat offenders

April 26, 2026

Shoplifting has been branded a “national scandal” as incidents reach a record high, fuelled by a growing number of repeat offenders. More than 500,000 shoplifting offenses were recorded last year, according to official figures released in response to a parliamentary question by former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith. Fears around the worsening state of [...]
King’s Speech to unleash wave of City reforms

April 26, 2026

A host of City of London reforms will be set in stone at next month’s King’s Speech, as the Prime Minister hopes to use the moment to turn a corner from doubts over his leadership. Impending reforms, including scrapping the payments watchdog and overhauling the financial ombudsman, are set to be legislated in the financial [...]
Economy could suffer for eight months after Iran war ends, minister says

April 26, 2026

Surging food and energy prices caused by the Iran war could last for more than eight months after the conflict ends, Starmer’s right-hand man has said. Higher petrol, food and plane ticket prices will persist for “eight-plus months” following the end of the conflict, chief secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said. The minister [...]
WH Smith successor delays ‘aggressive’ restructuring which will shut stores

April 26, 2026

The private equity financiers who run nearly 500 former WH Smith stores have delayed announcing an “aggressive” restructuring which could force the closure of up to 100 stores. Modella Capital, the Mayfair equity firm which runs hundreds of the stationer’s former stores, has run into financial difficulties and was due to unveil rescue proposals last [...]

Nvidia shares set to slide as spy scandal threatens AI recovery

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Tamdhu: The scotch whisky taking on Macallan

By: Felix Armstrong

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