Shadow Chancellor: 200,000 jobs have already been lost under Labour Opinion Labour’s economic policies are damaging the UK economy and driving up unemployment – only Conservatives can restore growth, says Andrew Griffith If the UK economy were a malfunctioning car, the dashboard would be lit up like a Christmas Tree. This morning’s labour market figures are the latest set of accounts for Labour’s economy, and I [...]
Can cautious Wolfson keep stunning Next shareholders? Retail Lord Simon Wolfson has become a shareholder darling over his 25 years in charge of Next. Felix Armstrong asks whether he can keep on surprising them. Few companies listed on the London Stock Exchange are more bound up with the personality of their chief executives than Next. Lord Simon Wolfson, the long-time boss of the [...]
Four interest rate hikes loom despite surprise economic growth Economics The Bank of England is expected to hike interest rates as many as four times within the next year, City figures have said, after the economy delivered surprise growth in July. The central bank is expected to be buoyed by this morning’s GDP figures, which saw the UK economy grow by 0.4 per cent in [...]
Back Joseph’s Enceladus to beat Father’s Christmas September 8, 2026 SATURDAY’s card from Doncaster features the final Classic of the British Flat season, the Group One Betfred St Leger (3.35pm). Derby winner Christmas Day heads the market in a bid to give Aidan O’Brien a fourth St Leger win in as many years. He holds clear claims stepping up to this trip for the first [...]
The Bayeux Tapestry, British Museum review: believe the hype September 8, 2026 The Bayeux Tapestry, British Museum review and star rating: ★★★★ Art history is not always held in the highest regard as an academic discipline, dismissed by one columnist at this newspaper as “a degree for posh girls too thick to do real history”. It stems from a notion that reading books is more demanding than [...]
Tesco and Boots lead 100,000 jobs pledge to tackle Neets crisis September 8, 2026 Tesco, Boots and dozens of other retailers have pledged to create 100,000 new jobs in a bid to tackle the youth unemployment crisis, which they say is trapping young people in a “doom loop”. A group of top high street firms – which also includes Asda, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer – have joined [...]
John Lewis boss: UK economy facing a ‘permacrisis’ September 3, 2026 The boss of John Lewis has warned that the UK economy is locked in a “permacrisis” as he urged the government not to hike business rates on large retailers. Peter Ruis, the outgoing managing director of the retail giant, said that British businesses are facing a “permacrisis externally [which] isn’t going to go away”. Last [...]
Poundland owners rush to sell discount retailer before Christmas September 2, 2026 The owners of Poundland are racing to find a buyer for the discount retailer ahead of the all-important Christmas trading period, having already received interest from suitors. Gordon Brothers, who bought Poundland only a year ago, have appointed advisors Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) to sound out interest in the company after several parties approached the [...]
Keir today, gone tomorrow: A London by-election may spell danger for Labour September 2, 2026 Holborn and St Pancras has been held by Labour for 43 years, but the rise of the Greens, and the thrill of a by-election, could spell trouble.
The way Dolly Parton announced her death is an inspiration to us all August 25, 2026 “Sadness lies with us, not with Dolly,” says Dolly Parton’s nephew Bryan Seaver in an Instagram video to announce the death of the country music star. It’s an obvious thing to say about someone who has passed, but nonetheless, an idea that isn’t often thought about directly. When someone passes we tend to focus on [...]