Rachel Reeves to raise ‘stealth and sin’ taxes to cover black hole August 15, 2025 Rachel Reeves is set to hit British consumers with extra “sin taxes”, leading forecasters have predicted, which are widely seen as regressive taxes that could hit people on lower income. The Chancellor faces having to raise £20bn in taxes at this year’s Autumn Budget to restore her “already paltry” margin of £9.9bn in headroom, according [...]
Once bitten, twice inflated: The Bank of England’s rate cut conundrum August 14, 2025 After the MPC’s historic second vote on interest rates, is the Bank of England torn between fears of recession and inflation, asks Helen Thomas Seventeen years ago this month, the Bank of England produced its quarterly Inflation Reportas usual. In the 56 pages, the Bank’s forecasters laid out carefully crafted charts andanalysis of how growth [...]
‘IPO jungle drums starting to beat’: City grandees eye autumn flurry August 14, 2025 Global equities climbed to a record high on Wednesday, aided by yet another day in the green for the FTSE 100 that has sparked a rare bout of optimism among City grandees that life could be breathed into the Square Mile’s beleaguered IPO market this autumn. Stock markets in London, New York and across Europe [...]
Fayder: The fan and athlete platform tackling sport’s funding problem August 11, 2025 Vwaire Obukohwo dreams of rowing for Team GB at the LA 2028 Olympics, although her more immediate concern is how she will afford her weekly food shop. Like many elite athletes, the 23-year-old from south-west London receives some central funding to pursue the ambition of representing her country on the biggest stage. But funding has [...]
Interest rates likely to remain higher for longer August 8, 2025 Markets are indicating interest rates are set to stay higher for longer than expected after the Bank of England’s “hawkish cut” and gloomy inflation and growth forecasts shocked City analysts. Prior to the Bank’s interest rate cuts, markets had all but priced in a further 25 basis point cut by the end of the year, [...]
Iceland in the red as Rachel Reeves’ tax raid forces prices higher August 8, 2025 Iceland has warned it is being forced to increases prices because of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax raids as the supermarket chain fell into the red. The Flintshire-headquartered said that while it is “doing our utmost” to offset increasing costs arising from last year’s Autumn Budget, it will “inevitably have to pass some of these on [...]
Bank of England: Future of interest rate cuts now ‘more uncertain’ August 7, 2025 The future of interest rate cuts is now “more uncertain” as the Bank of England suggested it was more worried about inflation ticking up higher than expected. In its decision on Thursday, the Bank voted 5-4 for interest rates to be cut by 25 basis points to four per cent. But the Bank now believes [...]
Bank of England cuts interest rates in historic vote August 7, 2025 The Bank of England has cut interest rates to four per cent in an unprecedented double vote as Monetary Policy Committee members clashed on the impacts of a crumbling jobs market and higher food prices. Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members were told to vote a second time after four members voting for a 25 basis [...]
How the Conservatives can become the party of millennials like me August 7, 2025 Millennials make up the largest age cohort in many of the areas where the Conservatives need to shore up support. To win us back the Tories need answers on the cost of living, housing and tax, says Jamila Robertson Millennials are often given a hard rap – scoffed at as snowflakes by Boomers, and as [...]
Borrowing costs set to ease further as Bank contends with weaker jobs market August 3, 2025 Borrowing costs are set to ease further as the Bank of England contends with stagnant growth and rising unemployment, experts have predicted. Most economists think the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to 4% on Thursday. It could release pressure for some mortgage holders amid hopes that cheaper [...]