Oil crisis to ‘push UK into recession’ after growth flatlines Economics Fears that the ongoing crisis in the Middle East will plunge the UK into a recession have been amplified after fresh figures revealed the economy flatlined in January. The price of oil closed above $100 for the first time since 2022 last night as interventions from the global energy body failed to calm markets amid [...]
Is the City still sexy? Opinion The era of the long boozy lunch and male dominated pints down the pub may be over, but relationships matter more than ever in the Square Mile, says Eva sayers Over glasses of red and lunch at The Quality Chop House (not recommended for vegetarians, like myself), a broker who’s been working in the City [...]
Labour workers rights reforms could backfire for young workers Retail Labour’s employment rights reforms could damage opportunities for young workers if the new laws reduce the number of flexible, entry-level roles, the UK’s top retail trade body has warned. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has called on the government to ensure the implementation of its reforms, which were passed into law in December, doesn’t hamper [...]
Fuel duty rise ‘under review’ as Iran war response sparks tensions March 11, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has said a rise in fuel scheduled for September is “under review” hours after Rachel Reeves hinted an energy support package could be drawn up. Starmer said fuel duty would remain frozen until September and the policy would be kept “under review in light of what’s happening in Iran” when he was [...]
Labour’s branding of ambition as ‘masculine’ is a disturbing revelation March 11, 2026 New Labour guidelines telling businesses to rid their job ads of 'masculine' terms like 'ambitious' is sending completely the wrong message.
Oil crisis: The answer isn’t panic, it’s power March 11, 2026 To be resilient to global shocks, Britain needs an era of energy abundance – and that means generating far more power at home and having the infrastructure to connect it, says Stuart George Every time the oil price spikes, the same uncomfortable truth returns: Britain is still far too exposed to energy markets we don’t [...]
The Greens are no tree-hugging hippies, their policies would destroy Britain March 10, 2026 Zack Polanski’s Greens stand a realistic chance of winning dozens of seats, so it’s worth taking their policy platform seriously. From wealth taxes to yet more punitive building regulations to open borders, they would be a disaster for British prosperity, says Emma Revell For years now the Green Party has been a bit of a [...]
Will the Bank of England raise interest rates amid Iran war energy crisis? March 9, 2026 Traders are betting on interest rate hikes this year as Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer have consulted analysts at the Bank of England to monitor the impact of spiralling oil prices on the UK economy. Investors believe interest rates are more likely to rise than fall by the end of the year, with a [...]
G7 ministers to discuss joint release of emergency oil reserves March 9, 2026 G7 finance ministers are set to discuss a possible joint release of petroleum from reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency in an emergency meeting on Monday, as they look to tackle surging oil prices amid the conflict in the Gulf. Ministers will hold a call with International Energy Agency’s (IEA) executive director Faith Birol [...]
UK jobs market ‘facing sustained shocks’ March 9, 2026 The Labour government is facing a rallying cry to ease the cost burden on businesses to avoid derailing a recovery in the jobs market. The latest jobs report from KPMG and the REC, the professional body for recruiters, showed hiring for permanent roles reaching a stabilising point in February with the pace of declines the [...]