‘Picking winners? This is about backing champions’ – Reform’s Zia Yusuf on a radical approach to business December 16, 2025 Reform has by any measure enjoyed an incredible 2025. But for much of the poll-topping year, its economic vision has remained an unknown entity. Ali Lyon met policy chief Zia Yusuf to hear, for the first time, his party’s plans for Britain’s flatlining economy and the millions of businesses in it. Zia Yusuf is feeling [...]
Sumer Group, champions of SMEs, leading the way towards economic growth December 12, 2025 They tackled Brexit head-on, survived Covid, coped with the impact of the war in Ukraine and battled rising costs. The latest growth forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility presents a further challenge with the OBR reducing their expectations for productivity growth by 0.3ppts to 1 per cent. In times of uncertainty these businesses have [...]
Overseas ownership of UK property nosedives December 11, 2025 The number of UK properties owned by overseas investors has fallen dramatically since 2015 as the impact of Brexit and increased regulation dampen appetite. While the value of property assets held by overseas companies is at an all-time high – jumping 40 per cent, or £38.5bn, in three years – the volume of purchases has [...]
David Cameron sounds alarm over British brain drain December 10, 2025 Former Prime Minister Lord David Cameron has expressed concern about the exodus of British entrepreneurs and talent, warning that the UK government needs to set aside ‘other goals’ and prioritise business growth. Speaking at Abu Dhabi Finance Week, Lord Cameron acknowledged British talent leaving for places such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), stating: “I [...]
The government is using Brexit as a scapegoat for its own failures December 10, 2025 Keir Starmer is clearly manoeuvring to get Britain to rejoin the EU – but Brexit is not to blame for Britain’s appalling growth record, says Paul Ormerod David Lammy, the deputy Prime Minister, chose last week to reopen the issue of the UK rejoining the EU. Asked if we will go back into the customs [...]
Reform UK and the Conservatives: a coalition of the unwilling? December 8, 2025 How credible are rumours of a deal between Reform UK and the Conservatives to “unite the right”? Asks Eliot Wilson Last week, The Financial Times reported that Nigel Farage had told donors some kind of understanding between Reform UK and the Conservative Party before the next general election was “inevitable”. Whether a “merger”, a “pact” [...]
Getting rid of business rates won’t fix Britain’s high streets December 5, 2025 The decline of the UK’s high streets has been well-documented over the past decades, with the finger variously pointed at structural and policy changes. At the 2025 Labour Party conference, the Prime Minister said that the UK’s high streets are “struggling against the tide of decline”, promising to replace the business rates system and level [...]
Reform UK receives £9m donation from billionaire businessman Christopher Harborne December 4, 2025 Reform UK has received the largest ever political donation from a single living person as Thai-based billionaire Christopher Harborne injected £9m into the party. Reform’s precursor organisation, the Brexit Party, previously received donations from Harborne in 2019 and 2020 but it had not yet received donations directly from the billionaire. His £9m donation in August [...]
No future: is Britain losing hope? December 4, 2025 Britain faces a deep, decade-in-the-making crisis of hope, as rising costs, stagnating opportunities, and widening structural failures leave both young and middle-class people feeling trapped, disillusioned, and asking if a viable future in the UK is still possible, says Eliza Filby Throughout my conversations in recent months it’s become clear to me that the country’s [...]
Don’t overlook UK stocks in 2026 December 1, 2025 The UK stock market has long been shunned by retail investors, as the AI boom, inflation woes and gloomy economic conditions spark the search for greater returns in overseas markets, particularly the US. While this narrative has held back many investors from tapping into the UK, the London index has bounced back in 2025, with [...]