Phoenix Group: FTSE 100 giant changes name to Standard Life September 8, 2025 Pensions giant Phoenix Group is set to change its name to Standard Life as it adopts the name of the brand it acquired seven years ago. It follows widespread speculation that the board had been considering a name change. The firm stated that Standard Life was its most reputable name and that the change would [...]
MasterChef maker’s huge losses continue amid Gregg Wallace scandal September 8, 2025 The production company behind MasterChef continued to make huge losses as the scandal surrounding the show’s presenter Gregg Wallace came to light, it has been revealed. The UK arm of French giant Banijay hit the headlines in November 2024 when Gregg Wallace announced he was stepping away from the hit BBC show after an external [...]
Labour is gambling with Britain’s global competitiveness – ‘real-life Iron Man’ September 8, 2025 A British engineer and chief executive, known as the ‘real-life Iron Man’, has warned the Labour government is “gambling with Britain’s competitiveness on a global stage”. Richard Browning, a former Royal Marine who leads Gravity Industries, has written an open letter to education secretary Bridget Phillipson expressing concern over the “waning entrepreneurial spirit across our [...]
Challenger banks face ‘profitability trap’ at growth crossroads September 8, 2025 The UK banking sector faces a profitability roadblock that will give the industry’s challengers an “existential” turning point. Fresh data from KPMG suggests the industry’s average return on equity will fall to eight per cent come 2027 down from 13 per cent four years prior. This is set to spark an £11bn reduction in pre-tax [...]
The last harvest? How tax changes are impacting British farming September 8, 2025 Britain's food security hangs in the balance as agricultural land is lost to pay inheritance tax bills, writes Sarah Jordan.
Healey says Rayner ‘not a victim’ amid Labour reshuffle discontent September 7, 2025 Angela Rayner is “not a victim” and “any government is stronger” with her, a Cabinet minister has said after a reshuffle following her resignation saw tensions flare within Labour. Defence Secretary John Healey defended Sir Keir Starmer’s “clear, swift, fair action” following his former deputy’s admission that she mistakenly underpaid stamp duty on a seaside [...]
M&S calls for rethink on inheritance tax amid government reshuffle September 7, 2025 M&S have called on new environment secretary Emma Reynolds to back British farmers by rethinking proposed changes to inheritance tax relief for farmers. The decision to end a decades-old inheritance tax relief – known as Agricultural Property Relief – that allowed farmland to be transferred down a generation tax-free has sparked a serious backlash in [...]
Ex-FA chief Alex Horne: Club game, regulator and football finance September 7, 2025 Since September began the world of football has continued to offer talking point after talking point. The Premier League transfer window closed to bring the curtain down on a summer splurge which topped £3bn for the first time; the Independent Football Regulator published its first piece of official policy ahead of its November detachment from [...]
Defence training to be ramped up to ‘wartime pace’ in new strategy September 6, 2025 Defence training will be ramped up to a “wartime pace” in a new education drive aimed at growing the UK’s skilled workforce, the Government has said. Under the plans, five new “technical excellence colleges” will be set up across the country as well as targeted short courses and Stem schemes for school students to pursue [...]
Let’s be honest, birthrates won’t go up without a religious revival September 6, 2025 Pro-natalist policies are welcome – but are unlikely to impact birthrates without a concurrent social shift to more traditional values.