Natwest housing finance chief: Social housing changes lives – I would know June 8, 2026 Behind every discussion about social housing are real people whose lives can be changed by the security of a permanent home, writes Paul Eyre.
Jobs slump as economy ‘held up by uncertainty’ June 8, 2026 The UK jobs market has been handed another blow as businesses ditch permanent hires as the economy battles against domestic and international uncertainty. The latest jobs report from KPMG and REC, the professional body for recruiters, showed hiring for permanent places dropped to a reading of 44.1 in May, which sits below the neutral 50 [...]
Starmer weighs cut to EU student fees in bid for Brexit reset June 6, 2026 Keir Starmer is considering cutting university fees for European students as part of a broader package designed to deepen Britain’s economic ties with the EU, in what could become one of the most politically sensitive concessions of his post-Brexit reset. Ministers are weighing whether to lower tuition costs for EU students attending British universities as [...]
Burnham vows to cut the price of a pint as he turns on Labour tax rises June 6, 2026 Andy Burnham has launched a major policy intervention of the Makerfield by-election campaign with a pledge to cut business rates for pubs and ease the tax burden on small businesses, marking a clear break with Keir Starmer’s government. The Greater Manchester mayor said Labour had “got it wrong” on small businesses as he unveiled plans [...]
Andy Burnham ducks ‘fiscal rules exam’ despite pledge to stick to them June 6, 2026 Andy Burnham refused to explain Labour’s fiscal rules on Friday, despite insisting he would stick to them if he entered Downing Street, raising questions over the economic strategy underpinning his growing leadership bid. The Greater Manchester Mayor, who has spent months positioning himself as Labour’s most prominent alternative voice, was challenged to explain the government’s [...]
KPMG scraps summer early Friday finish for staff June 5, 2026 Big Four giant KPMG is revoking its Covid-19 employee benefit of letting staff clock off early on Fridays over the summer in the latest cut at the firm. The firm introduced the policy in 2021, focused on the summer, which is a quieter time in the City, to allow staff to take two and a [...]
Why Richard Harpin sold half of homeServe for half a million pounds — and what he’d do differently June 4, 2026 At SCALE SUMMIT on 23 April, HomeServe founder Sir Richard Harpin joined SCALE Chairman Andrew B Morris for a Chairman’s Chat on the decisions, mistakes and principles behind one of Britain’s most remarkable entrepreneurial journeys. Richard Harpin built HomeServe from nothing into a £4.1 billion business sold to Brookfield in 2023. Over 30 years, he [...]
Fortegra Appoints Mark Rattner as President June 4, 2026 The Fortegra Group, Inc. (“Fortegra” or the “Company”), a global specialty insurer and part of DB Insurance Co., Ltd., today announced the appointment of Mark Rattner as President. Mr. Rattner, who previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer, Insurance, brings a decade of Fortegra leadership and long-standing relationships with reliable distribution partners [...]
Martin Sorrell calls WPP ‘catatonic’ as Goldman slaps sell rating on its own client June 4, 2026 Sir Martin Sorrell spent 33 years turning WPP from a small Kent-based wire and plastics manufacturer into the world’s largest ad company. He left in 2018 following a dispute over personal conduct that he has consistently denied, and has been a vocal critic of his successors ever since. “I think they are further gone than [...]
UK Companies Are Leaving Millions of Pounds Exposed and Underperforming June 4, 2026 UK businesses may be losing tens of thousands of pounds annually in missed interest, while also leaving an average of £2 million cash holdings potentially unprotected, according to new research on corporate treasury practices. The findings are based on a survey of 500 UK senior business leaders (CEOs, CFOs, Finance Directors, and Managing Directors) examining [...]