Reeves all but confirms backing for third Heathrow runway January 26, 2025 Rachel Reeves suggested the full Cabinet must back any potential expansion of Heathrow Airport despite previous opposition from senior Government figures, as she all but confirmed plans to endorse a third runway. The Chancellor refused to be drawn on “speculation” over an upcoming announcement she is expected to make about the project but said decisions [...]
Shell to post lower 2024 profit after year of faltering oil demand January 26, 2025 Shell is expected to post lower annual profit than the previous year next week, after the energy giant was hit by weak oil prices and faltering demand for the fossil fuel. The London-listed company is scheduled to announce its financial results for the calendar year 2024 on Thursday. Analysts have forecast that it will post [...]
Reeves pledges planning reform shake-up to boost growth January 26, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged to cut red tape for building homes and infrastructure in a bid to speed up planning application approvals. Ahead of Reeves’ speech next week on economic growth, the government unveiled its new Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which will be introduced in the spring and help push its plan to build [...]
Streeting heckled as he urged progressives to fight ‘populist right’ January 25, 2025 Health Secretary Wes Streeting was interrupted by climate protesters on Saturday as he gave a speech urging progressives to fight the “populist right” in a battle of ideas. Two women shouted over him as he used an address to the Fabian Society to call for the centre-left to take on the “miserablist, declinist vision” he [...]
British Council could ‘disappear’ in a decade without financial help, boss warns January 25, 2025 The British Council could “disappear” within the next decade without urgent government intervention, the organisation’s chief executive has said. Scott McDonald, the boss of the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations, warned the council’s presence in up to 40 countries was in jeopardy without financial guarantees from the government. “I think we would be in [...]
WH Smith pursuing sale of high street business January 25, 2025 WH Smith is in talks to sell its high street arm, as the £1.5bn company looks to focus entirely on its travel retail business. The company’s high street operation is made up of about 500 stores, employing around 5,000 people. “WH Smith confirms that it is exploring potential strategic options for this profitable and cash [...]
Tories push for school smartphone ban to be added to education bill January 25, 2025 The Tories will push for a ban on smartphones in schools to be included in the Government’s education Bill. The Conservatives are tabling an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to end the use of mobile phones and other devices during school days by pupils. It is understood that the Labour government has [...]
St Ewe Free Range Eggs on the ‘utter carnage’ of IHT reform and rebuilding trust with Labour January 25, 2025 For Rebecca Tonks, running St Ewe Eggs has been a passion project for 17 years. Tonks, who was 12 when her family first started selling eggs in addition to its dairy produce, launched the St. Ewe Free Range Eggs brand to UK supermarkets in 2007 under the Red Lion accreditation. “It didn’t take very long for [...]
UK economy: Stagflation concerns persist after worrying week January 24, 2025 Data out this week suggested that concerns about stagflation have not yet fallen off the agenda.
Diageo shares surge amid Guinness sale rumour January 24, 2025 Diageo’s shares spiked to the top of the FTSE 100 today amid a rumour the company is looking to spin off or sell its most famous brand, Guinness, for up to £8bn. The transaction was first reported in a piece by Bloomberg, which said Diageo may be looking to review its portfolio to kickstart growth. [...]
