Public officials ‘not truthful’ about ‘fantasy’ net zero costs January 13, 2026 Net zero is set to cost the UK economy billions of pounds more than public officials estimate, a new report has suggested, raising questions over the supposed savings to be made from the energy transition for households and businesses. A new paper published by the Institute of Economic Affairs, a free market think tank, has [...]
Why the FTSE is enjoying a winter uptick January 13, 2026 Amid AI bubble worries, London's FTSE is luring in American investors seeking greater diversification, writes Susannah Streeter.
Big government is smothering SMEs January 13, 2026 The government’s Employment Rights Act will drive yet another nail in the coffin of SMEs, says Tim Dier According to the Department of Business and Trade (DBT), Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) employ around 16.9m of us, a whopping 60 per cent of total private sector jobs. That includes everyone from the white-van man through [...]
Uber drivers plot exodus as platform swerves ‘taxi tax’ January 13, 2026 Uber is staring down the barrel of a potential driver exodus as members of its fleet threaten to jump ship to rival apps or return to black cabs, following a new year contractual overhaul designed to swerve a huge VAT bill. Documents seen by City AM show a wave of fury in private messaging groups, [...]
TfL to spend £100m a year on cleaning tubes amid graffiti spat January 13, 2026 Commuters will foot an annual £100m bill for cleaning tubes and buses over the next five years, City AM can reveal, with transport officials hoping a new provider will help to wipe out graffiti across the network. Transport for London (TfL), which is chaired by Mayor Sadiq Khan, revealed it signed a contract with the [...]
Inside the new White Lotus season 4 hotel – as show axes Four Seasons January 12, 2026 Inside the new White Lotus hotel in St Tropez It is common for travel journalists to be gifted a bottle of champagne or a box of chocolates when they check into a room. But when I checked into my room at Les Airelles Courchevel, I found a feather-lined ski coat, woolly hat, neck warmer, socks, [...]
Nadhim Zahawi defects to Reform as polling lead extended January 12, 2026 Former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has defected to Reform UK as fresh polling has shown the party extending its lead over Labour and the Tories. Zahawi, a former ally of Boris Johnson who served as Chancellor for a matter of months, announced his high-profile defection in a press conference in Westminster on Monday. Along with new [...]
Labour can’t afford to stick with Starmer much longer January 12, 2026 When leaders lose control of events, they rarely recover it. The final blow is usually banal. It could be a ministerial resignation, a bacon sandwich style gaffe, or a symbolic vote defeat, but it is coming, says Helen Thomas A curious myth has taken hold at Westminster that Keir Starmer remains in post because removing [...]
How day one sick pay will change hiring behaviour January 12, 2026 Few employers disagree with the objectives of day one sick pay, but there could be adverse impacts on hiring behaviour, writes George Reed.
AI and defence demand for chips sends IQE shares soaring January 12, 2026 Shares in semiconductor giant IQE surged 25 per cent to 9.18p on Monday morning, after the wafer supplier said it expects its full year results to hit the upper end of its guidance, thanks to a recovery in AI and defence-related demand. The Cardiff-based company now forecasts 2025 revenue of around £97m, and adjusted earnings [...]