Borrowing costs jump after Burnham ‘fiscal flexibility’ remarks July 20, 2026 The government’s borrowing costs climbed sharply on Monday afternoon after Andy Burnham said he planned to juice government borrowing by taking advantage of “flexibility” in the current fiscal rules. The new Prime Minister told reporters that his administration would use all potential room within the self-imposed spending straitjacket, which he had promised not to loosen [...]
Burnham risks ‘big mistake’ on AI with tech department shake-up July 20, 2026 Andy Burnham has been warned that breaking up the government department behind Britain’s artificial intelligence strategy could unsettle global investors and damage the country’s standing as a technology hub. The incoming prime minister is reportedly considering abolishing the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and splitting its responsibilities between the Department for Business and [...]
Top business group pitches Burnham for role as ‘delivery partner’ July 20, 2026 One of Britain’s top business groups is pitching itself as a delivery partner for Andy Burnham’s economic plans as the incoming Prime Minister pledges to deliver “growth in every postcode”. The British Chambers of Commerce, which has a presence in every region of the UK and represents some 50,000 businesses, is presenting itself as a [...]
The City doesn’t compete with Britain’s regions – it competes for them July 20, 2026 The City has never been an island, it has always been a bridge, connecting Britain with the world, channelling global capital into British innovation, and driving prosperity in every corner of the country, says Dame Susan Langley As Lady Mayor of the City of London, my role is to be the ambassador for UK financial [...]
Big Yellow slashes staff and turns to automation after Reeves’ business rates blow July 20, 2026 Big Yellow continued to trim its headcount and hike investment into automation in a bid to cut staff costs, as the company continues to deal with the fallout of Reeves’ decision to hike business rates. The Chancellor’s decision to increase both national insurance and minimum wage in the 2024 Autumn Budget, caused the group to [...]
The 2026 World Cup had its flaws, yes, but it was a resounding success for Fifa July 20, 2026 In the coming days following last night’s World Cup final, Fifa will release a report on how many people watched the tournament across its five and a half weeks. Look out for the social media KPIs – impressions, engagement, video views – that major sporting bodies now have to report, but the headline number will [...]
Thames Water creditors open door to public control under Burnham July 19, 2026 The creditors seeking to gain control of Thames Water have opened the door to greater public control of the struggling utility in a bid to bring Andy Burnham’s team to the negotiating table. Mike McTighe, the turnaround specialist who has been working with the group on an overhaul of Thames Water’s board, has called on [...]
Did this World Cup have too much of Sir David Beckham? July 18, 2026 Graham McKenna assesses whether David Beckham proves this World Cup had too much celebrity As the curtain starts to fall on another World Cup, a lot of conversation around this year’s tournament hasn’t been about the football itself, but the business surrounding it. The introduction of mandatory hydration breaks sparked plenty of debate, with many [...]
Burnham: I’ll be a pro-business Prime Minister July 17, 2026 Andy Burnham has vowed to be a pro-business Prime Minister who will reindustrialise Britain and support the country’s small businesses. Speaking after he was crowned Labour leader on Friday, the former Manchester mayor railed against “four decades of neoliberalism” which he said had seen political power concentrated in Westminster while “economic power was privatised”. In [...]
Over 1,000 World Cup final tickets unsold as resale site demands $2.3m July 17, 2026 Over 1,000 tickets remain unsold for the World Cup final on Fifa’s resale site as some prices reach $2.3m. Spain will take on Argentina on Sunday at New Jersey’s 82,500-capacity MetLife Stadium – known during this tournament as the New York New Jersey Stadium – in the World Cup final as the 104th and final [...]