Starmer’s approval ratings hit record low amid Reform and Green squeeze November 11, 2025 Keir Starmer’s approval ratings have hit a fresh low as voters brace for a battering at the Budget. The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters has shown that Keir Starmer’s net approval rating has cratered to -45, the lowest level since our monthly polling began in January this year. His Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, [...]
Retailers hit by subdued October as Budget threat looms November 11, 2025 UK retailers suffered a “subdued” October as Brits tightened their pockets ahead of what is expected to be a tax-heavy Autumn Budget. Retail sales increased 1.6 per cent year-on-year but remained below the 12-month average of 2.1 per cent, marking the weakest growth since May. The new data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and [...]
KBRA Releases Research – Heating up European ABS: Heat Pump Finance and Securitisation November 10, 2025 In this research report, KBRA examines how capital-markets funding could help bridge Europe’s heat pump investment gap. The EU aims to expand installed heat pumps to around 60 million units by 2030, up from roughly 26 million today. The analysis highlights how securitisation can provide a scalable funding channel for residential heat pump installations when [...]
Altman Solon Selects Mindbreeze to Power Knowledge Management and Collaboration Across the Organization November 10, 2025 Mindbreeze, a leading global provider of AI-based knowledge management solutions, today announced that Altman Solon, the world’s largest strategy consulting firm focused exclusively on telecommunications, media, and technology (TMT), has purchased Mindbreeze InSpire. The collaboration began in July 2025 with a trial of the Mindbreeze Insight Workplace, designed to unify Altman Solon’s SharePoint and web-based [...]
Rachel Reeves concedes manifesto pledges may be dropped November 10, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has suggested that Labour manifesto commitments will be ditched amid a “significantly worse” economic inheritance than expected last year. In an interview with the BBC, Reeves said she would prefer to increase government spending on infrastructure rather than cut taxes for Britons. When asked whether the government would stick to manifesto commitments, [...]
Autumn Budget: How could Rachel Reeves change salary sacrifice rules? November 10, 2025 Salary sacrifice schemes have allowed Brits earning more than £100,000 to avoid high taxes since the 1970s. While a pay rise can be lucrative for some employees, for others being dragged over the £100,000 threshold can be financially damaging, particularly for parents of young children who risk having their free childcare hours pulled away and [...]
Bank of England relaxes stablecoin stance in ‘watershed’ rules change November 10, 2025 The Bank of England has relaxed its stance on stablecoin in a new consultation paper aimed at helping Britain grab a slice of the £200bn market. The central Bank has previously faced calls to “publicly walk back” on its position on digital assets over fears the UK was missing out on the market. But in [...]
The evolving D&O risk landscape November 10, 2025 Growing management liability exposures and rising claims have increased the focus on effective D&O policies backed by effective D&O insurance carriers, ensuring company directors and officers are adequately covered for these risks. Amid continuing economic uncertainty, company directors and officers (D&Os) are under increasing pressure to keep their businesses profitable and continue making returns to [...]
Rachel Reeves eyes tax raid on dividends November 10, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to increase the tax rate on dividends at this year’s Budget, it has been reported, adding to speculation that investors and business owners will be targeted to fill a £30bn fiscal hole. An increase on basic, higher and additional rates of dividend taces could make up around £2bn in extra [...]
Andrew Griffith: ‘Tell us which City rules to slash’ November 10, 2025 Look at a UK companies’ annual report today and you will find a lengthy tome more likely to resemble a doorstop than something to provoke interest or excitement from investors. Much of this is the result of a vast expansion of corporate reporting requirements placed on businesses, starting with Labour’s Companies Act 2006 and pursued [...]