Mark Kleinman: BP risks being left a Shell without new chair July 3, 2025 BP risks being left a Shell without new chair A not-so-supermajor? Speculation about a Shell tilt at BP to establish a £200bn oil and gas behemoth has been running wild since a Bloomberg News report in May that the Anglo-Dutch group was “studying” such a move. Last week, that speculation lurched into overdrive, when the [...]
A year of hard Labour: UK plc’s verdict on Starmer and Reeves July 3, 2025 Just a year ago, Keir Starmer’s Labour party won an historic general election victory having promised to be “the most pro-business government this country has seen’. Ali Lyon sees whether industry and business leaders feel the party has met that vow 12 months on. As some of the great and good of Britain’s storied business [...]
Labour versus the bond markets, businesses and ballots July 3, 2025 Birthdays aren’t best celebrated on a hangover but Labour’s senior leaders will be waking up with a painful headache this morning after haemorrhaging support from both bond markets and backbenchers. As dozens of Labour MPs discovered the level of influence they held over whips in parliament, unsympathetic bond traders flexed their own powers as medium-term [...]
Bank of England policymaker urges faster interest rate cuts July 2, 2025 Bank of England dove Alan Taylor has urged his colleagues on the Monetary Policy Committee to vote for faster interest rate cuts to allow a “soft landing” on the inflation path. Bank officials voted to hold interest rates at 4.25 per cent in June, with inflation bouncing back up to 3.4 per cent in April [...]
Superdrug shrugs off Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes to create over 600 jobs July 2, 2025 Superdrug has created more than 600 jobs despite tax hikes introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves putting “pressure” on its margins. The high street chain upped its headcount from 13,845 to 14,479 in 2024, new accounts filed with Companies House have revealed. The increase comes after Superdrug also created more than 400 jobs in 2023. The [...]
Cuts, struggles and breakups: How is AI reshaping the consultancy sector? July 2, 2025 Amidst the job cuts at Big Four, crisis mode is rearing at consultancy firms as the industry struggles to keep up with the AI world
Financial advisers sound alarm on lack of support for SMEs July 2, 2025 Financial advisers have raised concern about the lack of support for small businesses in government policy as firms feel the pinch of economic pressures. Over half of advisers surveyed by alternative lender Thincats branded government policy as unsupportive of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) whilst just six per cent said it was supportive. Small businesses [...]
The Debate: Should there be a legal maximum temperature for offices? July 2, 2025 As London summers heat up, is it time the UK mandates a maximum working temperature for the office? Two writers go head to head.
To find out who’s to blame for economic uncertainty, reeves should look in the mirror July 2, 2025 Household spending is down £50bn since last year. It’s hardly surprising there’s so much uncertainty in the economy given the relentless negativity of the Chancellor herself, says Paul Ormerod Households in Britain are still saving large chunks of their incomes. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed this week that the percentage of income saved [...]
Labour warned that hospitality ‘is being taxed out of existence’ July 2, 2025 The government faced serious warnings from MPs about the state of the hospitality sector during an afternoon debate in the Commons on July 1. Representatives from across the UK warned the government that high taxes were suffocating the sector – particularly for small businesses – putting ‘insurmountable burdens’ on businesses. “Hospitality is being taxed out [...]