Economists tell Rachel Reeves to target wealthy pensioners September 20, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves should target wealthy pensioners to ease pressures on the public purse and allow infrastructure investment pledges to be protected, top economists and former ministers have said. Former Cabinet secretary Gus O’Donnell, ex Tory minister and Goldman Sachs executive Jim O’Neill, and top economists including Mariana Mazzucato have urged the government to “rebalance” [...]
Autumn budget and inflation worries drag down consumer confidence September 18, 2025 Consumer confidence slumped in September as concerns about the state of the UK economy and the possibility of higher taxes weighed on Brits’ minds. Expectations of the state of the overall economy worsened to -36 in September, down from -32 in August, according to the British Retail Consortium. Brits’ personal financial situations also slipped to [...]
Reeves considering ‘staggered stamp duty payments’ to boost housing market September 18, 2025 A proposal to spread stamp duty payments across several years, in an effort to drive growth and boost the housing market, is among changes to property tax being considered by the Treasury ahead of Budget discussions with the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Suggested reforms to stamp duty would allow house buyers to pay the [...]
Lord Alan Sugar sells part of empire to media giant Bauer September 17, 2025 Lord Alan Sugar has sold a part of his business empire to one of the largest media giants in the country. Amscreen, which produces digital signage, has been taken over by Bauer Media Group, according to new filings with Companies House. The division formed part of Lord Sugar’s Amshold Group and is headquartered in Bolton, Lancashire. [...]
Stanhope and Cheyne buy ‘landmark’ South Bank office development September 17, 2025 Asset manager Stanhope and fund manager Cheyne have bought a ‘landmark’ office development on London’s South Bank with a gross development value of £450m. Construction on the already-demolished Row One site, which totals 250,000sq ft, is expected to start as soon as next year and be completed in 2028. Joe Binns, head of investment at Stanhope, called the acquisition [...]
Housing market ‘demonstrating remarkable resilience’ ahead of Autumn Budget September 17, 2025 House prices ticked up in July as Brits still showed a ‘good appetite’ for home ownership despite affordability challenges and uncertainty ahead of the Autumn Budget. Average house prices increased 2.7 per cent to £292,000 in England, two per cent to £209,000 in Wales, and 3.3 per cent to £192,000 in Scotland in the 12 [...]
The Long Tail: The crucial role of Managing General Agents September 17, 2025 As the fastest-growing segment in property and casualty (P&C) insurance globally, managing general agents (MGAs) are attracting significant investment and playing a crucial role in closing the protection gap. MGAs utilise capital from large insurers to underwrite on their behalf, allowing insurers access to specialised product lines without having to build in-house capabilities. In the [...]
Raine Group: Inside bank behind Chelsea, Man United and Hundred deals September 17, 2025 When a team or sporting entity changes hands, those doing the buying and selling usually command the headlines and screentime; think the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, or Roman Abramovich and Todd Boehly. But these well-known individuals could not complete their often multi-billion-pound transactions on their own. Enter, then, the Raine Group, the advisory [...]
Shortage of skilled lawyers challenges UK life sciences sector September 17, 2025 The UK market is experiencing a shortage of lawyers at life sciences businesses amid a growing need for talent to meet the rising demand for regulatory advice from businesses. A report from recruiter Major, Lindsey & Africa highlights a lack of UK candidates with expertise in legal, regulatory, and compliance matters, intellectual property (IP), and [...]
Surinder Arora: Heathrow could be the next Thames Water September 17, 2025 Surinder Arora is the man bidding to break a decades-old monopoly by winning the right to build Heathrow’s third runway. With the government’s first remarks on proposals expected this month, he sits down with Ali Lyon to discuss the merits of his proposal, the reasons behind it, and why he thinks that – without urgent [...]