Majestic Wine blames Reeves’ tax hikes as profit slashed Retail Majestic Wine has blamed Rachel Reeves and her tax policies for its profit almost slashing in half during its latest financial year. The Watford-based business said the “economic environment became more challenging” during the 12 months to 31 March, 2025, especially after the general election and the Chancellor’s first Budget. The chain added that these [...]
Starmer: I’ll still be prime minister going into 2027 Politics Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he will still leading the country this time next year, dismissing concerns about his leadership, despite growing rumours about challenges within the party. The Labour leader said that frequent leadership changes were not in the national interest, taking note of the “chopping and changing” of prime minister under [...]
Knight Frank appointed for bumper Brighton Palace Pier sale hospitality Knight Frank has been instructed on the sale of Brighton Palace Pier, two months after the Grade II-listed landmark’s owners revealed their plans to offload the amusement park amid a barrage of economic headwinds. The Brighton Pier Group appointed the property giant to seek a buyer for the coastal attraction, which its operator said in [...]
Britain stuck at bottom of G7 for total investment as Labour’s policies backfire December 31, 2025 Rachel Reeves has come under fire after fresh data revealed Britain was stuck in last place among the world’s seven largest economies for total investment. Public and private investment marked just 18.6 per cent of GDP in the three months to September, placing the UK last among the G7 nations. Whilst it is a trend [...]
Who made the naughty list in the wine world in 2025? December 23, 2025 This was another fascinating year in the world of wine, with some great initiatives and events celebrating the people who make this vital and brilliant industry tick. But there were also some things on my naughty list… read on to find out who made the cut. Nice List – Aldi Aldi’s wine department is fantastic, [...]
Sumer Group, champions of SMEs, leading the way towards economic growth December 12, 2025 They tackled Brexit head-on, survived Covid, coped with the impact of the war in Ukraine and battled rising costs. The latest growth forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility presents a further challenge with the OBR reducing their expectations for productivity growth by 0.3ppts to 1 per cent. In times of uncertainty these businesses have [...]
Public spending fuelled growth spurt ‘no cause for celebration’ December 12, 2025 Labour’s “spend now, tax later” approach to fiscal policy will drive higher growth than previously expected, an industry group has said, but will leave UK public finances in a “vulnerable” position. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) upgraded its growth forecast for next year from 1 per cent to 1.3 per cent, with an extra [...]
Deloitte’s big Christmas quiz 2025 December 9, 2025 The 2025 Deloitte Christmas Economics Quiz by chief economist, Ian Stewart and team The Christmas quiz offers a test of your knowledge of the festive season, economics and politics, in 12 questions. The answers and a brief explanation of the factors at work are provided at the end. 1) Which British politician (past and present) [...]
Russell Tovey reveals his Doctor Who secret: ‘I make scary scenes a little bit funny’ December 5, 2025 Russell Tovey speaks to City AM The Magazine about returning to Doctor Who and his love for his London local. This piece is published in City AM The Magazine, Winter edition, distributed at major Tube stations and available to pick up from The Royal Exchange There are lots of lovely things you could say about Russell [...]
Labour minister: Life is s**t for young people December 5, 2025 A Labour minister has offered a candid assessment of life in the UK in reaction to a news story about the costs associated with housing and raising children. In a post on X, Josh Simons, the parliamentary secretary for the Cabinet Office who co-founded the Labour Growth Group, said life for young adults wanting to [...]