Business rates burden to disproportionately hit London offices October 28, 2025 The upcoming change in how business rates are calculated will affect far more office-based firms in London than elsewhere and may cause a rise in closures, according to a new report. The business tax reforms, scheduled for next April, will introduce a higher rate of payment for properties worth over £500,000. The new multiplier for [...]
The smoking ban is emblematic of how the Tories lost their way October 27, 2025 The generational smoking ban shows what happens when Conservatives go against their instincts, says Karl McCartney When you are fortunate enough to be elected as an MP you have many issues that you might wish to pursue. In my and many of my former colleagues’ cases, these issues reflected basic Conservative values, encompassing a range [...]
These are the City’s four key recommendations for the Budget October 27, 2025 Financial services should remain VAT-free. The bank levy and surcharge should be phased out over time. And stamp duty on UK shares should be abolished, says Chris Hayward A month from now, the Chancellor faces a selection of stark choices. The easiest among them should be whether to supercharge the UK’s financial services sector – [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Goodwin shares soar, HSBC $1.1bn Madoff hit, Petrofac administration October 27, 2025 Good morning from the City AM liveblog team. Rachel Reeves likes to insist that she will “never play fast and loose with the public finances.” It’s a phrase she deploys quite often, not least when it looks as if the bond market could do with a bit of reassurance, and it means that she won’t [...]
JD Gyms eyes UK expansion after putting millions into refurbs October 27, 2025 JD Gyms is set to open its 100th gym in the UK as the chain muscles in on the 24-hour fitness sector and sets its sights on further expansion. The Wigan-based chain, which is part of the global retail group JD Sports Fashion, will mark the milestone with the launch in Enfield, north London, in [...]
MPs raise alarm as Rachel Reeves set to slash cash ISA limit October 25, 2025 Rachel Reeves has been urged to avoid slashing the cash ISA limit in the coming Autumn Budget as she looks to drive investment into the London stock market. The Chancellor is reportedly set to revive plans to cut the tax-free limit after putting previous proposals on ice after the move faced fierce backlash. The tax-free [...]
Business and Policy Leaders Call for Policies to Unlock London’s Full Economic Potential October 24, 2025 London, 24 October 2025 – Business leaders, policymakers, and industry experts gathered in London for London – Opportunities and Obstacles for Growth, hosted by the Central London Alliance CIC, to discuss the challenges and prospects shaping the capital’s economic future. The event featured six panel discussions covering the key drivers of London’s growth, including finance, [...]
Stablecoin regulation: UK urged to act faster on crypto or fall behind October 24, 2025 Over one thousand crypto supporters gathered in East London at the E1 club on Wednesday for Stand With Crypto’s inaugural UK rally. The rally followed the close of the Zebu Live Conference and the London Blockchain Conference, bringing crypto enthusiasts from all over the world to London. Stand With Crypto’s movement Stand With Crypto, a [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Natwest ups guidance, Retail sales rise October 24, 2025 Good morning from the City AM liveblog team. As we get closer and closer to the Budget, businesses are becoming more and more vocal on their concerns over what could be in store. Yesterday it was the turn of London estate agent Foxton’s, which warned of softened demand as a result of Budget uncertainty. “Macroeconomic [...]
London Docklands might get a new 820-home development October 23, 2025 A new 820-home planning application in the Docklands has been submitted in what could be a major housebuilding scheme for the capital. The 54-storey scheme, submitted by Areli Developments, would occupy 77 Marsh Wall in Canary Wharf. Rob Tincknell, founder and CEO at Areli, said it would be a “landmark building… for all types of [...]