Boost for retail sales as tech and fuel drives growth February 20, 2026 UK retail sales grew by 1.8 per cent in January as the performance of non-food retailers outshone struggling supermarkets, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal. Automotive fuel sales, art galleries and tech retailers drove this growth, the ONS said, which was partially dragged down by falling supermarket sales. Retail sales were up slightly on [...]
Reeves lands £30bn reprieve ahead of Spring Statement February 20, 2026 Rachel Reeves has secured a record-breaking borrowing reprieve in fresh data that comes ahead of the Chancellor delivering her Spring Statement in March. The Treasury has been handed a surplus of £30.4bn in January, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show, after a surge in tax receipts. The figure is £15.9bn higher [...]
Global Counsel to be placed into administration February 19, 2026 Global Counsel’s 130 staff have been informed that the lobbying company founded by Peter Mandelson will be placed into administration as soon as tomorrow. City AM understands that despite a number of clients deciding to stay with the firm, the loss of business following the former US ambassador’s fall from grace has been substantial. A [...]
Tech CEO Daniel Callaghan: My first job was in a sports shop with Rachel Reeves February 19, 2026 We dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good. Today, the CEO of one of the UK’s fastest-growing tech firms, Daniel Callaghan.
Facial recognition trial at London Bridge sparks backlash from campaigners February 19, 2026 The British Transport Police’s new live facial recognition trial has barely begun at London Bridge, but activists are already expressing concerns over AI monitoring systems. Cameras went live at the station on 11 February as part of a six-month pilot set to identify people wanted for serious offences as they pass through major stations. The [...]
Antonia Romeo appointed civil service boss February 19, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has appointed Dame Antonia Romeo to be the first female cabinet secretary to lead the civil service, as part of a reshuffle of the government’s top team. The new civil service chief is currently the most senior civil servant at the Home Office, and was a leading contender for the role when [...]
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct February 19, 2026 Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, the BBC has reported. It comes after increasing pressure on the former Prince after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer this morning said “nobody was under the law”. Police were understood to be weighing up allegations that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had [...]
Here’s what the Square Mile skyline will look like in six years February 19, 2026 The City of London Corporation has revealed a new CGI skyline showcasing the Square Mile skyscrapers set to be completed in the next six years. The computer-generated images were released to mark a record set of planning permission deals in 2025, which have included the decision to green-light what will be the City’s tallest building, [...]
Starmer orders tech giants to delete abusive content within 48 hours February 19, 2026 Tech companies will be legally required to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours, or face heavy fines and potential UK blocks, under new measures unveiled by the Prime Minister The proposals, introduced through an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, require platforms to act swiftly once content is flagged. Companies that fail to [...]
Rachel Reeves warned ‘dysfunctional’ fiscal rules are hammering economy February 19, 2026 Rachel Reeves has been dealt a scathing assessment of her economic policy by a top think tank, which likened her approach to a driver who was “watching the speedometer” while ignoring other conditions. The Chancellor is facing calls to scrap the self-imposed fiscal rules that prevent her from borrowing to pay for day-to-day spending and [...]