Are we in the calm before the economic storm? May 20, 2026 There is a palpable sense of being in the calm before the storm. Thanks to the backward-looking nature of most economic data releases, we’re being fed glimpses of the gathering gloom. The latest GDP growth data from the ONS covered Q1 and came in at a respectable 0.6 per cent. However, it has been widely [...]
Billionaire exodus should not be UK’s headline concern May 20, 2026 Billionaires are good for headlines, but it's what's happening lower down the corporate food chain that interests Susannah Streeter.
Jakajaro to have day in the Sun at Haydock May 19, 2026 HAYDOCK’s card this weekend is headlined by two Group Two sprint contests, the Sandy Lane Stakes (2.58pm) and the Temple Stakes (3.30pm). With the weather in the north west unsettled and a good bit of rain around, I’m expecting the ground to be no better than good-to-soft come Saturday. Softer conditions should suit the Clive [...]
Labour selects Burnham and Reform UK picks plumber for by-election battle May 19, 2026 Both Labour and Reform UK have announced their candidates for the upcoming by-election in Makerfield, with the Manchester mayor set to go up against a plumber who narrowly lost in 2024. The Labour Party announced that local members accepted Burnham as its candidate, hours after the so-called ‘King in the North’ published a campaign video [...]
‘Downright offensive’: Southwark council slammed for blocking 900 homes May 19, 2026 Southwark council has been blasted for celebrating the blocking of an 867-home development on the site of a Peckham shopping centre. The local authority hailed a “great day for Peckham” after housebuilder Berkeley failed to overturn a ruling against the development, which would have delivered retail, leisure and commercial space alongside the hundreds of homes. [...]
Old Spanish Hen? Estrella snaps up Greene King beer brand in UK expansion May 19, 2026 The British arm of Spanish beer giant Estrella is set to snap up Greene King’s iconic Old Speckled Hen beer as it continues to expand in the UK. Damm UK, the British arm of Barcelona based brewer S.A. Damm – which owns Estrella – will take on the entire line of Old Speckled Hen beers, [...]
Unemployment back up as UK job vacancies fall May 19, 2026 Unemployment crept back up despite a fall in last month’s data as it was shown that the UK jobs market weakened in the last quarter. The Office for National Statistics said the UK unemployment rate was five per cent in the three months to March 2026. The unemployment rate had dropped to 4.9 per cent [...]
Eastern City Supports 11 Local Charitable Projects Through Community Funding May 18, 2026 The Eastern City Business Improvement District is investing £44,000 across 11 local charitable projects, focussing on education, employability and wellbeing in the area. This is the fourth year that the BID has supported community funding, making a real impact to charities which want to make a real difference for those who live and work in [...]
Matchroom could move into booming rugby in a big way, says Hearn May 18, 2026 Eddie Hearn has tipped Matchroom to increase its presence in rugby union “in a big way” following the signing of England star Henry Pollock and a new wave of investment entering the club game. Hearn surprised the industry by recruiting Pollock to his new Matchroom Talent Agency in March – a first foray into rugby [...]
London Sports Festival Serves Up Pickleball in New Street Square May 18, 2026 Central London Alliance’s London Sports Festival, in partnership with Landsec and supported by Fleet Street Quarter, is set to bring one of the world’s fastest-growing sports to the heart of the capital with the launch of a new pickleball activation at New Street Square. Pickleball is the fast-paced, social sport that has taken the world [...]