Private sector slump to drag on to Spring 2026, businesses say December 22, 2025 UK business leaders have warned that the sharp downturn in the private sector is likely to continue until Spring 2026, after firms put plans for future investment on ice in the run-up to the Labour government’s Autumn Budget. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) anticipates private sector output to fall in the fourth quarter after [...]
Know your OBR from your CPS? Take City AM’s politics quiz of 2025 December 20, 2025 Welcome to City AM‘s politics quiz of 2025, a year where Keir Starmer said his best moment in office was walking into Downing Street, Kemi Badenoch got Northern Ireland’s voting record on Brexit wrong and Nigel Farage admitted he did not own property in his constituency. There have been many other errors, blunders and mishaps [...]
Budget uncertainty dampens November spending December 19, 2025 Black Friday discounts failed to significantly boost consumer spending in November, as Budget uncertainty kept shoppers away from the high street. Sales declined 0.1 per cent last month, following a 0.9 per cent fall in October, as households opted to hold off spending in the run up to Christmas and wait to see the outcome [...]
FCA probe and bonus clawbacks: WH Smith acts against former directors as North America profit plunges December 19, 2025 WH Smith’s board will trigger clawback provisions for senior executives following accounting errors woes that had resulted in a probe by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). WH Smith chief executive Carl Cowling stepped down with immediate effect last month after the report, produced by Big Four audit firm Deloitte, identified weaknesses in the operations of [...]
Eating Dave’s Hot Chicken Reaper Tenders – the best of 2025 December 19, 2025 As Dave’s Hot Chicken opens its second branch in Croydon, we revisit this feature in which magazine editor Steve Dinneen attempts to break a UK record for eating the world’s hottest chicken tenders… It did not end well. I feel lightheaded, short of breath and the room has started to spin. Intense waves of heat radiate [...]
Last minute gift guide: Top presents from tech to games and books December 18, 2025 Whoever you’re buying for, we have the perfect present ideas in our guide to the best Christmas gifts 2025. Whether you want cutting edge tech for the nerd in your life or fancy socks to keep dad happy until Boxing day, we have you covered. Christmas gifts 2025: Books Always Remember the Boy, the Mole, [...]
For Starmer, things can only get worse December 18, 2025 It’s been a bad year for Starmer, characterised by scandals, economic woes and plummeting poll ratings – and it looks 2026 is going to be no better, says Tom Harwood As we all enjoy late December’s time honoured if questionable traditions of frantic Christmas shopping, parties and hangovers – please spare a thought for one [...]
The City is thirsty for more detail from Reform December 16, 2025 Appearing before MPs yesterday, Keir Starmer bemoaned the “consultations, regulations [and] arms-length bodies” that create “a thicket of reasons why you can’t do something.” He was responding to a question from Dame Meg Hillier, the Labour MP who chairs the committee in front of which he was appearing, about whether he had prepared enough for [...]
Starmer addresses leadership rumours amid bond market warnings December 15, 2025 Keir Starmer has acknowledged that speculation over his leadership is “rife” amid fresh concerns that a change in Prime Minister could spark panic in the bond markets. The PM vowed to take action on leaks and briefings coming from Downing Street over the last few months, adding that he had previously dismissed officials for sharing [...]
Forget the Full Moon party: Thailand has other amazing festivals to rival Glastonbury December 15, 2025 It’s 2am and 24 degrees in Pattaya, Thailand. In a field outside of the city, dozens of people are creating a terrible racket by making weird noises into loud hailers. The sound created could accurately be described as an infernal racket, and it’s being played on the speaker system to hundreds of people, who are [...]