Immigration rules to be ‘tightened up’ in Labour white paper May 12, 2025 The prime minister has unveiled sweeping reforms to the UK’s immigration system in a bid to curb levels of net migration. In a speech on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer declared that securing indefinite leave to remain in Britain is “a privilege that must be earned, not a right” as he lays out a series of [...]
Volatility boosts IG Group after Freetrade deal completes May 12, 2025 IG Group has upgraded its profit guidance for the financial year after increased trading from high market volatility around global trade uncertainty boosted its revenue. “Elevated volatility across a range of asset classes, particularly in April, has resulted in higher levels of client trading activity than expected in typical market conditions,” the firm said in [...]
UK employer confidence falls to pandemic-era low May 12, 2025 Confidence among UK employers has fallen to lows seen only during the coronavirus pandemic as economic uncertainty over tariffs pile on top of rising costs for businesses. The number of UK employers expecting to increase headcounts over the next three months fell to the lowest outside of the pandemic, the latest survey of more than [...]
UK-US deal is welcome, but Starmer must get on with the EU May 12, 2025 Our deals with the US and India reaffirm the UK's role as a trading superpower, but it's the EU we need to focus on, writes Chris Hayward.
Fifa and football agents brace for ‘hugely significant’ day in war over fees May 11, 2025 The long-running conflict between Fifa and football agents over rules which seek to cap their commission payments will move a step closer to conclusion in the next few days. Football’s world governing body has, perhaps inevitably, received a huge backlash from agents who have sought to challenge their legality – and succeeded in having some [...]
Elton John, Dua Lipa and Sir Ian McKellen among superstars urging Starmer to stop AI copyright threat May 10, 2025 Leading figures in the UK’s creative industry including Elton John, Dua Lipa, Paul McCartney and Sir Ian McKellen have urged the Prime Minister to strengthen copyright protections in the age of AI. Coldplay, Robbie Williams and Kate Bush are also among the more than 400 signatories of an open letter to Sir Keir Starmer, which [...]
Monzo brings in bankers to advise on £6bn float May 10, 2025 Monzo is close to hiring investment bankers to spearhead a blockbuster public listing valued at more than £6bn. The digital challenger bank is working with the Wall Street bank Morgan Stanley on a series of meetings with would-be investors ahead of an IPO that could take place early next year, according to Sky News. Sources [...]
Historically sunny spring to set UK retailers up for a bumper quarter May 10, 2025 The UK’s sunniest spring on record has encouraged Brits into brick and mortar stores in a much-needed boost for Britain’s struggling retailers. Britain experienced its sunniest April ever in 2025, while Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland each recorded their second sunniest. The effect has been to loosen wallets and “encourage shoppers to head out to [...]
Office for National Statistics chief resigns over ‘health issues’ May 9, 2025 The head of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has resigned because “ongoing health issues” mean he could not give the organisation the “full commitment” required to drive it forward. Sir Ian Diamond, who was appointed the UK’s national statistician in 2019, has stepped down with immediate effect, the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) said in [...]
US-UK trade announcement: “this isn’t a deal, it’s an amuse-bouche” May 9, 2025 The morning after the US-UK trade agreement was announced, experts are beginning to wrap their heads around what the deal entails, and reactions are trickling in. The overriding sense is that in the absence of any granular detail on what the deal means for several industries, there is still hope that the UK government can [...]