Labour believes success is something to be ashamed of December 10, 2025 Two successive Budgets have done unspeakable damage to small and medium sized firms across the country, but the government does not seem keen to reserve the punishment for set piece fiscal events, says John O’Connell After the relentless pre-Budget leaks was the catastrophic event itself. Then came the forensic analysis of who knew what when [...]
Will Andrew Bailey be Santa or Scrooge this Christmas? December 10, 2025 The Notebook, where the City’s movers and shakers have their say, Today it’s Susannah Streeter with the pen Christmas spirit seems to have spread a lot faster this year. I’ve never seen so many trees up in windows quite so early and there seem to be more lights twinkling in the streets. After months of [...]
The Debate: Are Londoners safer drivers? December 10, 2025 A new survey has found that Londoners cause more accidents on country roads than their rural counterparts. But are sophisticated urbanites really more reckless drivers? YES: Rural roads are a deathtrap Picture this: It’s five o’clock on a December afternoon, completely pitch black, and a giant Rangerover comes hurtling round the corner, right wheel just [...]
Ed Sheeran pays himself over £40m after album success December 9, 2025 Ed Sheeran has paid himself more than £40m after the huge success of his latest album, it has been revealed. The music mega star received a dividend of almost £40.1m through his self-named business, Ed Sheeran Limited. The accounts filed with Companies House also show the firm’s turnover totalled £25.7m while it made a pre-tax [...]
London Museum: inside the £400m cultural development at West Smithfield December 9, 2025 The London Museum is set to open at West Smithfield in 2026. It is one of Europe’s largest cultural developments and is backed by more than £400m in funding from the City of London Corporation and the Mayor of London, of which the City Corporation is contributing £222m. I recently toured the museum and met [...]
UK property tax burden is fourth heaviest in OECD December 9, 2025 The UK’s property tax burden is the fourth heaviest in the OECD’s list of 38 countries and it is more than double the average across the list of advanced economies. In a report on government revenue levels across most of the world’s largest economies, the OECD said the UK’s taxes on property as a percentage [...]
Verstappen future in doubt as Red Bull rocked by third key departure in a year December 9, 2025 Red Bull Racing have been rocked by the departure of Helmut Marko, the man credited with turning them into Formula 1’s most dominant team, after 26 years with the organisation. Marko is the third pivotal figure in the team’s F1 success to leave in the last year, following design guru Adrian Newey and team principal [...]
Inside London’s occult bookshops December 9, 2025 As I stood outside Watkins Books, the oldest occult bookshop in London, an old man approached me. “Number 23 is the one you want,” he said, pointing down the street. I looked confused. “Murder! A woman stabbed in the basement!” The man, who quickly walked on, was referring to the 1961 murder of Elsie Batten, [...]
Is it time to bulk up your portfolio with these fitness stocks? December 9, 2025 The fitness boom has rocked the global markets in 2025, as both consumers and investors reexamined their approach to health and wellbeing. What was once a spur of the moment run in an old pair of trainers or a reluctant trip to the gym has become a staple in daily life, leading to an increased [...]
London Stock Exchange boss: ‘Media narrative’ behind UK’s capital markets woes December 9, 2025 The boss of the London Stock Exchange has denied there is an issue with the health of the UK’s capital markets, despite London dropping out of the top 20 IPO destinations for the first time in history this year, falling behind Oman and Mexico in the early months. Dame Julia Hoggett complained of unnecessary pessimism [...]