Healey urged to cut business costs as consumer confidence slips September 24, 2026 Retailers have called on John Healey to slash the “burdensome” costs of doing business at the Budget next month, warning that consumer confidence will continue to stumble without urgent action. The British Retail Consortium (BRC), which represents top retailers like Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer, has urged the Chancellor to tackle the “triple blow” [...]
Financial literacy teaches young people to have aspiration, says Barings boss September 23, 2026 Financial literacy is crucial to teach young people to have aspiration about their future prospects, a senior leader at one of the world’s biggest investment firms has told City AM. Martin Horne, Co-Head of Global Investments at alternative asset manager Barings, said young people are able to have a much better understanding of how to [...]
On this day: Bruce Springsteen is born September 23, 2026 On 23 September 1949, Bruce Springsteen aka ‘The Boss’ was born in New Jersey. His life and music would go on to define post-war America, writes Eliot Wilson The way in which modern rock music developed means that the late 1940s are stuffed full of famous births. Take 1949 alone, and you will find enduring [...]
Burnham ally Jim O’Neill: Debt costs are ‘increasingly crazy’ and triple lock must go September 23, 2026 The cost to taxpayers of paying off the interest on UK government debt is “increasingly crazy”, according to a top economist who advised Andy Burnham. Lord Jim O’Neill, the former Goldman Sachs executive who advised Burnham in his run-up to Downing Street, told LBC that debit interest payments far outweighing the defence budget were “increasingly [...]
UK growth set to slow in 2027, OECD says September 23, 2026 The UK economy will grow slower than expected next year as the effects of a long Iran war drag on activity, the world’s leading economic forecaster has said. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) predicted that the UK economy would grow by just one per cent next year, marginally down from a previous [...]
Frozen tax thresholds to hold back Brits for ten miserable years September 23, 2026 In March 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak described it as “a tax policy that is progressive and fair.” In November 2022, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the policy, describing it as necessary and fair. In October 2024, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced an end to the policy, saying extending it beyond 2028 “would hurt working people.” Alas, a [...]
MPs will need courage to cut the welfare bill September 23, 2026 Over 100 Labour MPs also have more claimants for mental health conditions such as anxiety, ADHD and autism than their majorities, says Joseph Dinnage The unsustainable expansion of the welfare state is the most important domestic political issue of our time. Britain’s pervasive lack of ambition, dependence, profligacy and idleness are all symptoms of this [...]
Reeves’ ‘ambitious’ £14bn savings plan leaves Healey with a Budget headache September 23, 2026 Cost saving measures pencilled in by the last government have dramatically reduced Chancellor John Healey’s ability to look for spending cuts and efficiency gains at his first Budget, economists have warned, raising the prospect of fresh tax hikes. Healey is under pressure to rebuild his £23.6bn fiscal buffer, which is predicted to shrink due to [...]
How inheritance tax is becoming a ‘bill for ordinary households’ September 22, 2026 Inheritance tax receipts have hit a new high as frozen thresholds and rising property values drag more households into the tax net. Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts have hit £3.8bn so far this financial year, surpassing the £3.7bn recorded at the same point last year, according to the latest data from HMRC. Total receipts reached £8.5bn [...]
‘Worryingly large’: Labour’s debt cost racks up to £200bn September 22, 2026 More than £200bn has now been spent on covering government debt since Labour came into power, official figures show, reflecting the pressure bond traders have put on public finances in the last two years. Analysis of public finances data by City AM shows that debt interest payable to the government’s lenders in bond markets since [...]