Government warned over demand for landlords to retrofit homes June 5, 2025 Government plans to improve the energy efficiency of private rented housing are “unachievable” due to a shortage of skilled workers, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has warned. Under current proposals by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), which are aimed at keeping homes warm and energy bills low, landlords have until [...]
Britain’s biggest growth threat is giving into doomsterism June 4, 2025 As the Spending Review looms over Westminster, Britain must not just lie down and accept decline, writes Simon Clarke.
Reeves’ spending review ‘natural point’ to boost defence -IFS June 1, 2025 The Chancellor’s upcoming spending review provides a “natural point” to put the UK on the path to further boost defence spending, an economic think tank has said. Defence and NHS spending will dominate the review, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said in an analysis. It said Rachel Reeves will face “unavoidably” tough choices on 11 [...]
Toast the City: Galvin La Chapelle brothers on Michelin success and 20 years in business May 31, 2025 In a new series celebrating the people and places nominated for our Toast the City awards, Adam Bloodworth visits Galvin La Chapelle, a Michelin starred restaurant in a Victorian chapel in the Square Mile Half of all restaurants that open in London close within two years. It’s a bleak truth, and yet the upside is that [...]
Burberry’s decline shows British brands can’t trade on heritage alone May 30, 2025 The decline of Burberry should be a cautionary tale for British luxury brands relying on heritage, writes Manfredi Ricca.
New warning over ‘stealth’ £9bn income tax raid May 27, 2025 The government is under fire over its “stealth tax bombshell” as hundreds of thousands of Brits are set to be dragged into higher tax bands by the end of the decade. As many as 1.9m workers will see their pay fall into higher tax brackets by 2030 as the bands fail to keep pace with [...]
Energy bills to fall as Ofgem cuts UK price cap by seven per cent May 23, 2025 UK households are set to see a modest drop in their energy bills this summer, after regulator Ofgem revealed a seven per cent cut to its quarterly price cap – the first reduction in a year. The announcement will bring the average annual bill for a typical household in the UK down from £1,849 to [...]
Starmer refuses to rule out further tax rises May 21, 2025 The Prime Minister has refused rule out further tax rises when challenged by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch during Prime Minister Questions. The fiery exchange came after it was revealed that Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner pushed for a £4bn tax hike on wealthier people in the lead up to the Spring Statement earlier this year. [...]
Government U-turns on winter fuel allowances May 21, 2025 Keir Starmer plans to soften the government’s stance on winter fuel allowances in a major U-turn after restrictions on the payments sparked a backlash from pensioners. During Prime Minister’s questions, the Prime Minister said the government wants to “ensure that as we go forward, more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments,” as part of [...]
Greene King vs Spoons: Who is winning the great British pub battle? May 20, 2025 There are few well-populated areas of the UK where you can’t find either a Greene King or JD Wetherspoon pub. The two titans of the British pubs industry together operate thousands of locations each across the country and are staples of most urban areas. Both are major contributors to the UK economy – providing employment [...]