Reeves told Lifetime ISAs rules are ‘nonsensical’ and costing savers June 30, 2025 Lifetime ISAs require deep reform, as strict rules on cash withdrawals mean customers are left with less money than they initially deposited, leading Britons to make worse investment decisions, while the government sets aside too much spending for bonuses, senior MPs have told Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Reeves is a fortnight away from her flagship Mansion [...]
Private sector braced for sharp decline, CBI warns June 30, 2025 Private sector businesses across the country are braced for a sharp decline in activity in the next three months, the UK’s largest industry body has warned, as Chancellor Rachel Reeves struggles to reverse low business confidence trends. Reeves may have hoped that the industrial strategy, plans on infrastructure investment and pension reforms aimed at boosting [...]
Kneecap at Glastonbury 2025 review: ‘f*ck Keir Starmer’ chants, flares and mosh pits June 28, 2025 The Prime Minister calling Kneecap’s Glastonbury 2025 performance not “appropriate” was always going to achieve the exact opposite of what Sir Keir Starmer had hoped. The festival was never going to cancel the booking, it would have been viewed as a mark against free speech, and in the end, Starmer’s comments quadrupled the crowd size. [...]
Where to watch the British and Irish Lions tour in London June 28, 2025 The British and Irish Lions tour continues this month as the touring side looks for a first series win since 2013. But where in London can fans watch the action? For those who cannot spend thousands travelling to Australia there are a number of spots in London putting on special breakfast offerings for the duration [...]
Brussels’ tobacco ban risks fuelling illegal immigration June 28, 2025 A proposed EU tobacco tax hike risks fuelling organised crime, illicit trade, and people smuggling across Europe and into the UK, says Tom Pursglove Recent headlines suggest that up to 50,000 illegal migrants could cross the Channel this year – a figure that provokes a palpable sense of dread amongst the British public. People have [...]
Lorde at Glastonbury 2025 review: enchanting secret set earmarks beginning of Lorde Summer June 27, 2025 Lorde at Glastonbury 2025 review: can Patchwork beat this? ★★★★ When Lorde is on stage, she adopts the kind of sultry pout that looks as if she’s thinking “f*ck you*. But this morning, the first full day of Glastonbury 2025 coincided with the launch of her new album Virgin, and behind the looks-could-kill poise, she [...]
Will banks be able to escape a Reeves’ tax raid this Autumn? June 27, 2025 As Rachel Reeves watches her fiscal headroom crumble with every Labour U-turn, the Chancellor may return to her budget mantra that those with the “broadest shoulders should bear the heavier burden”. Lenders managed to skirt a tax raid in the 2024 budget after lobbyists warned it could damage the sector’s international competitiveness, but renewed fiscal [...]
Women’s football: Why brand is key to building on Lionesses’ success June 27, 2025 With the Women’s Euros approaching the spotlight is bright on the Lionesses, and domestic clubs will be looking to capitalise on the momentum of the tournament by converting national fans into home team supporters. This is where brand comes in. Crucial for building greater connections, a sense of belonging and loyalty, and for attracting the [...]
The professional sceptics debunking conspiracy theories June 27, 2025 Michael Marshall is Britain’s only full-time, paid sceptic. He attends flat earth conferences, distributes flyers outside psychic shows and lurks in anti-vax Telegram groups, all to promote critical thinking over pseudoscience and damaging conspiracy theories. “Any of us could, at our worst, find ourselves in an emotional hole where our reason is compromised,” he says. [...]
Government announces concessions to welfare bill in ‘screeching U-turn’ June 27, 2025 People who currently receive the personal independence payment (Pip) will continue to do so after the government made concessions to Labour rebels on controversial welfare reforms. A letter from Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall to MPs said adjustments to universal credit would also see incomes protected. The announcement comes after crisis talks with backbenchers, [...]