Barratt Redrow urges Burnham to slash tax to boost housebuilders July 15, 2026 Barratt Redrow has called on Prime Minister-to-be Andy Burnham to cut taxes to encourage housebuilding and remove “barriers to home ownership”. The FTSE 100 housebuilder urged the government to address “the increasing regulatory and tax burdens that are constraining viability” to “unlock higher levels of housing delivery, including affordable housing”. Burnham has pledged to back [...]
In praise of Count Binface July 15, 2026 By standing in the impending by-election in Clacton, Count Binface has more than proved his worth to both comedy and democracy, says James Ford I must confess to having a conflicted attitude to Count Binface. On the one hand, the former political adviser within me (who is, of course, a profound political snob) tends to [...]
You don’t have to be psychopathic to work in the City… but it helps July 15, 2026 The perfect CV? 60 per cent genius and 40 per cent psychopath, says author and former 'Cityboy' Geraint Anderson in today's Notebook.
Activist investor pushes for M&C Saatchi break-up in ‘next year’ July 15, 2026 The investment firm pushing to break up M&C Saatchi has predicted that the advertising agency will not exist in its current structure within a year, in a move that would see one of Britain’s most well-known advertising agencies depart from the stock exchange. Christopher Mills, the founder of notorious activist investment shop Harwood Capital, said [...]
I saved hundreds watching a tribute band over the real thing July 15, 2026 Tired of spending hundreds on stadium gigs, Damien Gabet set off on a long, dark journey to Cheltenham to watch a System Of A Down tribute band. It might have been better than the real thing We can all recall a piece of music that, on first listening, irreversibly rewired our minds. I can vividly [...]
Everything’s going to sh*t. Here are 25 of the best dystopian novels July 15, 2026 The genre has roared back onto bookshelves and best-seller lists. Harry Owen asks why we keep returning to this bleakest of genres – and recommends some top dystopian fiction Dystopian fiction is once again lining the bookshelves of Waterstones. And is it any wonder? All good dystopia really hinges on its ‘plausibility’, the writer concocting [...]
50 years of hairdos: Meet the Dedicated Barber of Fleet Street July 15, 2026 Fleet Street barber shop Leonard & Michael is celebrating its 50th anniversary. We get a chop at one of the City’s oldest hairdressers, which has been nominated for Retailer of the Year at this October’s Toast the City Awards He’s the most dedicated hairdresser of Fleet Street, the man behind the barber shop that has [...]
Sadiq Khan urges tougher Ofcom action as UK prepares social media ban rules July 14, 2026 Sadiq Khan has called on social media companies to change algorithms that promote violent and misogynistic material, as London launches a £5m programme to tackle the effect of online harms on young people. The mayor of London also believes the state should be ready to intervene where platforms cannot or will not change their recommendation [...]
Wetherspoons and Young’s toast World Cup success as shares rocket July 14, 2026 Wetherspoon and other top London-listed pub groups have surged in value over the course of the World Cup as millions of revellers toasted the hot weather and the Three Lions’ success. Tim Martin’s budget pub chain, which is listed on the FTSE 250, has gained more than £75m in value since the start of the [...]
Atlanta set for major economic boost as England World Cup fans spend July 14, 2026 Atlanta is set to enjoy a major economic boost from England fans at the World Cup after Brits splashed the cash in Miami last week. Spending data from Revolut shows that UK customer spending in Miami was up 322 per cent on Saturday, when England beat Norway 2-1 to book a spot in tonight’s semi-final [...]