Living standards to be ‘far bleaker’ after 2026 despite Reeves’ claims March 4, 2026 UK living standards are projected to drop in the two years before the next General Election as economists warned people were heading for “far bleaker” times ahead, turning up the heat on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to deliver on a commitment to ease the cost of living. Economists at the Resolution Foundation, the left-leaning Westminster think [...]
Two party politics is over in Britain March 4, 2026 Meaningful support is now spread across multiple different parties, but Westminster still acts like there’s a government and an opposition, says Louise Thompson The Green Party’s victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election is a watershed moment. Hannah Spencer secured the party’s first-ever parliamentary by-election win in what had been Labour’s sixth most secure seat. [...]
All Seas Capital Backs Sereni to Support Buy-and-Build Growth March 4, 2026 Growth strategy focused on consolidating fragmented markets and expanding geographically
Quilter sees net inflows rise as more clients look to access financial advice March 4, 2026 Wealth management firm Quilter reported record net inflows and lifted its dividend, amid clients increasingly seeking financial advice. Assets under management and administration (AUMA) jumped 18 per cent to £141.2bn from £119.4bn the prior year. The hike was driven by an 83 per cent rise in net inflows to £8.7bn, coupled with a positive contribution [...]
Metro Bank shares dip after SME lending pivot sees profit balloon March 4, 2026 Metro Bank has swung back into profit as the firm’s pivot into small business lending led to a bump in revenue. The FTSE 250 lender returned to profitability with a pre-tax profit of just north of £98m – a 15-year high and major clawback from losses of £14m last year. The swing came as Metro [...]
Autonomous vehicle firm Oxa taps BP, Nvidia in $103m funding round March 4, 2026 British autonomous vehicle firm Oxa has raised $103m (£77m) in a fresh funding round after attracting support from the world’s most valuable tech firm, Nvidia. The Oxford-based business, formerly known as Oxbotica, completed the Series D raise with backing from the government’s National Wealth Fund as well as from the venture arm of energy giant [...]
Vistry: Housebuilder boss quits as output falls March 4, 2026 The boss of the UK’s second-biggest housebuilder has quit as the company battles with falling revenue and output caused by the uncertainty around last year’s November Budget. The news spooked investors as Vistry Group’s share price nosedived on Wednesday, down as much as 22 per cent to 490p. Vistry’s chief executive Greg Fitzgerald said he [...]
The Debate: Was a ‘quiet’ Spring Statement what businesses needed? March 4, 2026 It was good for the Chancellor's blood pressure, but was it good for business? We hear the case for and against the "boring" Spring Statement.
Reeves’ Spring Statement gave us little to be cheery about March 4, 2026 Rachel Reeves put on a brave face when she stood up at the dispatch box yesterday afternoon to unveil her Spring Statement. And although we were subjected to the usual staccato delivery, the Chancellor’s performance was more confident than usual. But a cursory glance at the latest Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) projections show there [...]
Kao’s Laurier Launches New Brand Communication Initiative across Asia: Strengthening Global Integration as a Core Brand in Kao’s Asian Business March 4, 2026 Starting on International Women’s Day, March 8, Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) will launch new brand communication campaign in nine Asian countries and regions for its feminine sanitary product brand, Laurier, which is the core of its Asian business. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303996141/en/ Laurier aims to help create more supportive [...]