Don’t raise a glass to Starmer’s plan for pubs October 13, 2025 Keir Starmer claims he has a plan to save the struggling hospitality sector, but the detail is thin and all his other actions – like banning vapes and junkfood advertising – suggest his every impulse is to control people’s behaviour, says Eliot Wilson “Pubs and bars are the beating heart of our communities. Under our [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Lloyds warns on ‘adverse’ outcome on motor finance October 13, 2025 Good morning from the City AM liveblog team. As we edge close to the Budget, more and more businesses are growing agitated over how their industry might be affected. Nowhere were these concerns more stark than in retail, where the Co-op has warned that 60,000 small shops and 150,000 jobs could be lost without business [...]
AI fraud surge squeezes UK retail margins as businesses fight back with tech October 13, 2025 UK retailers are under siege from a surge in AI-driven fraud, eroding thin profit margins and forcing a scramble for smarter defences. As economic headwinds bite, fraud losses are climbing, with businesses from high street giants to e-commerce heavyweights investing heavily in technology to stay afloat. Michael Reitblat, chief executive of fraud prevention specialist Forter, [...]
Co-op warns 150,000 jobs at risk ahead of Autumn Budget October 13, 2025 The Co-op has warned that 60,000 small shops and 150,000 jobs could be lost without business rates reform in next month’s Autumn Budget. The Manchester-headquartered group has said Britain’s high streets “face a critical moment” and that Chancellor Rachel Reeves needs to announce “maximum” business rates relief on 26 November. The call comes after City [...]
Reeves warns the rich will ‘contribute more’ as Budget tax squeeze looms October 12, 2025 Rachel Reeves has signalled that wealthier households will be asked to “contribute more” in her Budget next month, as the chancellor seeks to close a £20–30bn gap in the public finances without cutting spending or taking on new debt. Treasury sources told The Telegraph that Reeves will neither reduce public spending nor expand borrowing significantly, [...]
Business Leaders, Policymakers and Innovators Unite to Shape London’s Future October 11, 2025 London, 11 October 2025 – Hundreds of senior business leaders, policymakers, and innovators gathered last night at The Emmanuel Centre, Westminster, for “London – Opportunities and Obstacles for Growth,” a major public forum hosted by Central London Alliance CIC. Timed strategically to take place before the party conference season, but postponed because of the industrial action which [...]
British icon in the red after Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes costs jobs October 10, 2025 John Smedley, the historic family-owned luxury knitwear brand, has been forced to raise prices and make redundancies as it battles Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes as it fell into the red. The Derbyshire-headquartered business can trace its roots back to 1784 and is currently run by the eighth generation of the Smedley family. Executive chairman [...]
Hiking VAT would have ‘serious negative impact’, economists warn Reeves October 10, 2025 A hike to VAT would “have a serious negative impact” on the UK, leading economists have warned, as the chancellor weighs which taxes to put up at next month’s Budget to plug a £30bn shortfall. An increase in the sales levy would have the biggest negative impact of any major tax rise, leading to a [...]
Number of job seekers spike as high taxes continue to hurt UK economy October 10, 2025 The number of job seekers has spiked while a rise in starting salaries was “fractional”, according to analysis of leading survey data, in signs the jobs market is struggling to shake off higher taxes and low growth prospects. New monthly findings by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG have pointed to another rise [...]
Tax fears heat up as firms ‘not ready for another Budget battering’ October 10, 2025 Tax fears across businesses in the UK are bubbling up, a leading survey has indicated, as Chancellor Rachel Reeves is warned that firms are “not ready for another Budget battering” later this year. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC)’s survey has shown that business confidence remains in a fragile state amid nerves that another damaging [...]