Reeves vows ‘greater support’ for poorer Brits as Iran oil island hit March 14, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has suggested poorer households will receive “greater support” in an energy subsidy package as oil supply worries intensified after a key Iranian island was attacked. Reeves has said she “found the money” to announce a support package for people not supported by the energy price cap, including rural communities which use heating [...]
Fuel duty rise ‘under review’ as Iran war response sparks tensions March 11, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has said a rise in fuel scheduled for September is “under review” hours after Rachel Reeves hinted an energy support package could be drawn up. Starmer said fuel duty would remain frozen until September and the policy would be kept “under review in light of what’s happening in Iran” when he was [...]
Mortgage lenders pull deals at fastest pace since mini-Budget March 11, 2026 Mortgage lenders are pulling deals at the fastest rate since Liz Truss infamous mini-Budget amid growing agitation around the economic consequences of the Iran war. Nearly 500 homeowner mortgages have disappeared from the market in mere days, according to finanical information platform Moneyfacts, as average mortgage rates breeze past the five per cent mark. Moneyfacts [...]
Reeves hints at ‘scope’ for energy package amid inflation rout fears March 11, 2026 Rachel Reeves has indicated that the government can afford to provide a heavy subsidy package protecting Brits from soaring energy prices. Appearing before the Treasury Committee on Wednesday, the Chancellor warned the war in Iran was “certainly not good” for the UK economy but suggested that the government was prepared to respond to the crisis [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Iran war ‘certainly not good’ for UK economy, says Rachel Reeves March 11, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog for continued coverage of a frenzied week in global markets. The Chancellor has told the Treasury select committee that the ongoing fallout from the Middle east is “certainly not good for the British economy”. Following the “most intense” day of fighting in the region – and just a [...]
Ambassador Suzuki: Britain and Japan are partners for security and prosperity March 11, 2026 Japan remembers the vital assistance and friendship Britain gave after the devastating earthquake 15 years ago today. Together our countries will face the global challenges of today, says Hiroshi Suzuki Today marks 15 years since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, which claimed over 19,700 lives and left over 2,500 people still unaccounted [...]
Oil shock will be felt well beyond energy markets March 10, 2026 Energy shocks rarely remain confined to energy markets. They propagate through bond markets, fiscal balances and inflation expectations, says Helen Thomas As Winston Churchill once warned: “The statesman who yields to war fever must realise that once the signal is given he is no longer the master of policy, but the slave of unforeseeable and [...]
Reeves warns oil price shock to fuel higher inflation for Brits March 9, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has warned that a recent spike in oil prices will translate into higher inflation in the UK, with her economic approach centring on calls for the US, Israel and Iran to de-escalate the conflict in the Middle East. In a statement to MPs, Reeves said she called on G7 finance minister, which [...]
Chinese-owned UK chipmaker still awaiting sale after government order March 9, 2026 More than a year after ministers ordered the sale of a Chinese-owned British semiconductor company on national security grounds, the deal has yet to materialise. Glasgow-based Future Technology Devices International (FTDI) remains majority owned by a Chinese state-backed consortium, despite the cabinet office directing investors to divest their stake in November 2024. The company was [...]
Global markets warned of ‘biggest energy crisis’ in modern history after oil surge March 9, 2026 Global economies are facing warnings over what could the “biggest energy crisis” in modern history after the price of oil breached the $100 mark for the first time since the energy crisis in 2022. Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, surged over 25 per cent to highs of $118 per barrel as the week’s [...]