What does the public really think about rejoining the EU? Opinion It’s pure delusion to conclude that rejoining the European Union would cure our financial woes and the public knows it, says Dr Michael Turner Andy Burnham wants to reopen Pandora’s box. After solemnly promising before the Makerfield by-election that Brexit was settled, the Prime Minister now concludes that all options are on the table as [...]
Palantir’s Tom Watson warns Labour against ‘mob rule’ on procurement Tech Former Labour deputy leader and top Palantir executive Tom Watson has warned his party could face “trouble” if they bow to “mob rule” on procurement procedures. Lord Watson, who became a senior vice president at the US tech giant in September, said Palantir is “very targeted by the people that are targeting Israeli companies”. Watson [...]
On this day in 1966: David Cameron is born Opinion As David Cameron turns 60, Eliot Wilson takes a look back at the life so far of the "chillaxed" Prime Minister.
Reeves beats Kwarteng to ‘worst chancellor’ in new ranking October 6, 2026 Just months after her exit from Number 11, Rachel Reeves has been given the dubious honour of being voted “worst chancellor”, in a new survey. According to an AJ Bell survey, Reeves was the least popular of the last five chancellors, and even ranked below Kwasi Kwarteng, who held the role for just over a [...]
Raising bank taxes will reduce jobs, former Chancellor Hunt warns Healey October 5, 2026 Former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has issued John Healey a major warning over any increase to the level of taxes paid by UK banks ahead of the forthcoming Budget. The top Tory MP, who has sat on the back benches since Labour came to power in 2024, said Healey must ignore the “siren voices” calling for [...]
Badenoch vows to end £100k childcare cliff edge introduced under last Tory government October 3, 2026 Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has vowed to end the “absurd” childcare trap for parents earning above £100,000. On the first day of the party’s conference in Birmingham, Badenoch will announce that the childcare cliff edge – engineered under the previous Tory government – will be scrapped at a cost of about £700m per year. Former [...]
Revive VAT-free shopping to boost high streets, Selfridges urges Burnham September 29, 2026 Selfridges has called on Andy Burnham to reinstate VAT-free shopping for international tourists as part of his push to revive British high streets and boost regional growth. The luxury department store chain hit out at then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to abolish VAT-free shopping in 2021, adding that it is “encouraged” to see the policy back [...]
Last orders: Boss of under-fire pub regulator defends her record September 29, 2026 The Pubs Code Adjudicator, Fiona Dickie, is preparing to step away early next year. She tells Felix Armstrong why the beleaguered watchdog deserves a future Can an industry watchdog be effective if it has launched only two investigations in its 10 years of existence? Yes – at least according to Fiona Dickie, the Pubs Code [...]
Personal allowance hike on the menu at October Budget September 24, 2026 The Chancellor is weighing up proposals to raise the personal allowance at next month’s Budget in what could be the biggest shake-up to income tax rules in years. John Healey is reportedly considering unfreezing the income threshold at which earners start paying tax from £12,570 to as much as £15,570. The unfreezing would be the [...]
The Capitalist: Slow and steady wins the race at the Bloomberg Square Mile relay September 24, 2026 Cigars at Quaglino's, a cricket-playing PM and diplomacy at the Bloomberg relay; catch up on the latest shenanigans in The Capitalist.