Starmer’s defence pledges will trigger a tax bombshell June 3, 2025 Here’s a cracker of a pub quiz question for you: what links mega-rich non-doms, nuclear-powered submarines, congestion in Wigan and the Bank of England’s former chief economist? The answer, as so often appears to be the case, is tax. On the day that Keir Starmer unveiled a Strategic Defence Review that calls for nearly £70bn [...]
Monzo: The rockstar fintech setting the City abuzz June 3, 2025 Monzo has dominated City chatter in recent months with its hotly anticipated IPO, and now the fintech unicorn’s latest financial results indicate the talk is only going to get louder. The UK fintech veteran broke another milestone in the last 12 months after topping £1bn in annual revenue. Behind the surge in takings was a [...]
Starmer’s defence spending will mean ‘chunky’ tax rises, warns IFS June 2, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to boost defence spending will require “chunky” tax rises, according to the chief of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). Paul Johnson told Times Radio: “…if we’re really going to spend another £10-15 billion a year on defence, whilst inevitably we’re going to spend more and more on health and pensions [...]
Cash ISAs: Record £14bn piled in after rumoured cut from Reeves June 2, 2025 A record £14bn was put into cash ISAs in April as the new tax year kicked off, fresh figures from the Bank of England show, marking the highest amount since April 1999. The ballooning savings follow speculation over the fate of cash ISAs amid rumours of a cut to the allowance. In the Spring Statement [...]
Open access is ‘key priority,’ says Firstgroup boss June 2, 2025 Firstgroup is pushing ahead with plans to expand its open access offering despite fears over a government clampdown. The transport giant on Monday announced it had leased five Class 222, six car diesel trains after signing an agreement with rolling stock firm Eversholt Rail. It intends for the 340-seat trains to be used on a [...]
Club World Cup cash row: Seattle Sounders take fight to MLS June 2, 2025 A cash row has broken out over this month’s Fifa Club World Cup, with Major League Soccer’s player union backing protests led by the Seattle Sounders. Sounders players wore T-shirts bearing the slogan “Club World Cash Grab” before their fixture against Minnesota United on Sunday to show their discontent with the proportion of prize money [...]
Starmer refuses to commit 3 per cent defence spending despite ‘battle-ready’ claim June 2, 2025 Keir Starmer has been criticised for failing to commit to increasing defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP. The Prime Minister vowed to put in place the “largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War,” with a 2.5 per cent share of GDP going to defence. However, the PM maintained that hitting [...]
HSBC accelerates private credit pivot with $4bn injection June 2, 2025 Europe’s biggest lender has continued its pivot into private credit funds with a $4bn investment into its asset management arm. HSBC has used its asset management business to spearhead a transition into the booming $1.6tn private credit market. The firm said it will invest the new cash into its alternative credit funds, with the goal [...]
Lazard relocates UK headquarters after 20 years June 2, 2025 Financial services firm Lazard has opened a new UK headquarters in Marylebone as it looks to extend its presence in London. The new, larger site at 20 Manchester Square will become one of its three major global offices alongside New York and Paris. CEO Jeremy Taylor said the site was “more than just a new [...]
Can Cazoo go from collapse to Auto Trader’s ‘undisputed’ rival? June 2, 2025 Cazoo can double in size over the next couple of years and become the undisputed number two to FTSE 100 giant Auto Trader, the man charged with its phoenix-like recovery has said. Barry Judge, who helped rescue the brand after it collapsed in May 2024, added that the company is working on winning back the [...]