Wes Streeting urges Labour to help youth ‘as an emergency’ May 20, 2026 Wes Streeting has called on the government to support young people “as an emergency” in a resignation speech that accused Sir Keir Starmer of leading a losing battle against Reform UK. Streeting said he supported Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ economic agenda before the Iran war broke out and upended policy-making, though he suggested the Labour leadership [...]
Brits aren’t spending enough – time for Splash Out to Help Out May 20, 2026 Household debt has declined and people have stopped spending on productive things like home improvements but also in leisure. That’s bad news for the public finances, so the government should look at ways to incentivise spending, says Tim Sarson Brits have stopped spending. After the great financial crisis in 2008 we collectively decided to zip [...]
Data centres to consume tenth of global power by 2050 May 20, 2026 The AI boom is set to drive one of the largest increases in electricity demand in modern history, with data centres expected to consume a tenth of the world’s power by 2050. Global data centre electricity demand will more than double from 500 terawatt-hours (TWh) last year to 1,114TWh by mid-century, according to BloombergNEF data, [...]
‘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. [...]
Innocent smoothie boss bananas for EU red tape reset May 18, 2026 The boss of smoothie giant Innocent has backed closer ties between the government and the European Union, in the same week Labour leadership hopeful Wes Streeting threw his weight behind a return to the bloc. Nick Canney, chief executive of Coca-Cola-owned Innocent Drinks, told City AM that closer ties with the EU would be “helpful” [...]
Andy Burnham plots Westminster return warning Labour has ‘let people down’ May 17, 2026 Andy Burnham has moved a step closer towards a return to Westminster after confirming that winning the forthcoming Makerfield by-election would be the “first stage” in a wider bid to reshape Labour. The Greater Manchester mayor has repeatedly distanced himself from Sir Keir Starmer’s government, criticised Britain’s economic direction over the past 40 years and [...]
Labour has two visions for the economy, only one is even close to credible May 14, 2026 The Labour Growth Group is making the case for a capable state that builds while the Tribune Group is calling for fiscal rules, a wealth tax and unburdening themselves from the bond markets. Only one of these plans is serious, says Dr Valentin Boboc Following some disappointing local election results and building expectations of a [...]
Norwegian billionaire forced back to London in £285m Deutsche Bank dispute May 12, 2026 Norwegian billionaire Alexander Vik has been ordered to return to the City to be interrogated about his hidden assets during a 13-year-long legal dispute with Deutsche Bank. The bank first sued the business mogul’s company, Sebastian Holdings, in 2009 after the company suffered a series of losses on foreign exchange and equities trade deals during [...]
Chaos may well be preferable to Keir Starmer’s unyielding blankness May 12, 2026 Keir Starmer's promise for change is as convincing as a bad boyfriend's. MPs may well decide they prefer chaos to this neverending blandness.
London local elections 2026: Who will win in Lewisham? May 6, 2026 After a Labour landslide last time around, the red wall to the south of the Thames could crack under a Green onslaught, with housing the key local issue in what has traditionally been a two-way battleground between Labour and the Conservatives. Lewisham Council offers a window into another world. The borough’s last local elections brought [...]