GDP: UK faces ‘most dismal decade for growth in 100 years’ February 12, 2026 The UK economy had a minor expansion in the fourth quarter of 2025 coming a touch below expectations as an expected boost from the services sector failed to come to fruition. Fresh figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the economy expanded a sluggish 0.1 per cent in three months to December 2025. [...]
Truespeed and Freedom Fibre Announce Strategic Combination February 11, 2026 Truespeed Communications and Freedom Fibre announce they have signed an agreement to combine their businesses, creating a scaled, capital-efficient full fibre platform. The combined entity will play a leading role in the ongoing consolidation of the UK alternative network (“altnet”) sector. This merger brings together two highly complementary, effectively unlevered, businesses with a combined footprint [...]
Services sector rebound expected to help economy limp towards growth February 10, 2026 Rachel Reeves is set to breathe a minor sigh of relief at the sight of new economic data this week with the UK economy expected to have limped towards growth in December. A survey of City economists by Bloomberg had projected a 0.1 per cent expansion in December and 0.2 per cent for the fourth-quarter. [...]
Derivative Path and CloudMargin Announce Strategic Partnership to Deliver Integrated Derivatives and Collateral Management Solution for Market Participants February 10, 2026 Derivative Path, a leading provider of cloud-based capital markets technology and risk management solutions, and CloudMargin, the only collateral and margin management solution purpose-built for the cloud, today announced a strategic partnership that will deliver a unified front-to-back workflow for over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives and collateral management. The collaboration enables seamless integration between Derivative Path’s DerivativeEDGE® [...]
UK businesses turn to overseas talent and AI as Reeves’ taxes bite February 9, 2026 British businesses are facing a “trade off” as rising costs for employers push firms into investing in overseas talent and leveraging AI. Whilst businesses are ditching the “wait-and-see” approach that engulfed firms amidst the tax uncertainty ahead of November’s Budget, this has not translated into a hiring upswing, the latest KPMG and REC jobs report [...]
Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney resigns over Mandelson appointment February 8, 2026 The chief of staff to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has resigned following mounting criticism over the appointment of Peter Mandelson to the US ambassadorship. Morgan McSweeney – who succeeded Sue Gray to the post in October 2024 – said the decision to nominate Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US was “wrong” and he [...]
How London fell back in love with the office February 7, 2026 With workplace leasing enjoying a major post-pandemic bounceback, it's clear that, once again, the office is seen as critical to success.
Inside Hackney’s bizarre planning decision on Shoreditch Works February 6, 2026 In the wake of ‘unprecedented’ scenes at Hackney Council’s planning committee, Nicholas Boys Smith asks ‘what next’ for London’s best new development On 4th February one of the country’s best and most popular urban regeneration schemes came into kinetic contact with the Alice Though the Looking-Glass world of Hackney’s planning department and passed into a [...]
Who pays for flexible working? February 6, 2026 Flexible working has enormous benefits for employees but it is not cost-free – and it’s businesses and workers who are paying the price, says Len Shackleton It is clear that flexible working opportunities, particularly ‘working from home’ but also compressed hours, flexitime, job shares and more, can be highly valued by both individuals and companies. [...]
London Town Clerk: I love the wardrobe – the tights connect me to the City’s heritage February 5, 2026 Each week, we dig into the memory bank of the City's great and good. Today, Ian Thomas takes us through being Town Clerk of London.