Rachel Reeves mulls second booze tax hike November 12, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering an increase in taxes on alcohol in line with a higher reading of inflation in a repeat of last year’s Budget, according to reports. Reeves could hike duties by the retail prices index (RPI) inflation rate in a bid to raise more cash to fill an estimated £30bn fiscal hole [...]
Gorse: A star is born in Cardiff November 12, 2025 After winning Cardiff’s first Michelin star, Gorse is opening a new chapter for fine dining in the Welsh capital, writes Carys Sharkey On a quiet street in the leafy Pontcanna neighbourhood of Cardiff is Gorse. A small, unassuming restaurant with an open kitchen and just a handful of tables, Gorse is the first place to [...]
Exstent Appoints Matt Thompson as CEO to Drive Global Growth in Personalised Aortic Support November 12, 2025 Exstent, a UK-based medical device company, developing personalised external aortic support to preserve the native aorta, today announced the appointment of Matt Thompson as Chief Executive Officer to lead its next phase of global growth. Matt brings more than two decades of combined clinical and commercial leadership to Exstent. He previously held leadership roles including [...]
Exclusive: Middlesex to play just two T20 Blast games at Lord’s in 2026 November 12, 2025 Middlesex will play just two Twenty20 Blast matches at Lord’s next year in a further indication of their declining foothold at the Home of Cricket. The 13-time county champions have been tenants at Lord’s since 1864 and have a 12-month rental agreement with the Marylebone Cricket Club that is renewed on an annual basis, but [...]
Brits insist on cash ISA safety net amid Treasury investment push November 12, 2025 Millions of Brits refuse to invest in the stock market without a significant cash safety net amid growing speculation over a potential slash to the cash ISA ceiling. According to financial services platform Moneybox, 87 per cent of people insisted on having a substantial amount of cash before investing, confirming it made them more comfortable [...]
If the Chancellor wants to save money she should look in her own backyard November 12, 2025 Bureaucratic, process-obsessed and costly to take part in, public procurement exercises are often set up to fail before they even begin, says Joe Hill The Chancellor’s Budget this month is as high as the stakes can be for the government. It’s the defining test of how they balance competing goals to boost growth, spend on [...]
Brits don’t believe this is a country that rewards hard work November 12, 2025 What conversations are you having at work, at home, in the pub? There’s plenty to talk about, from Traitors (BBC good?) to trust in public broadcasting (BBC bad?) to say nothing of football, Remembrance Day, the weather and Christmas. Looking beyond these topics, is it possible to discern the national mood? Do we feel that [...]
Autumn Budget: B&Q boss hands Reeves tool kit for growth November 12, 2025 Ahead of the Autumn Budget, City Reporter Samuel Norman sits down with top industry names for a Budget Briefing. This week, the boss of retail stalwart B&Q warns truly fixing the foundations starts with building confidence. After Labour’s monumental 2024 general election sweep, Chancellor Rachel Reeves seized her economic tool kit, telling Britons she was “fixing [...]
Christmas adverts in 2025 review, from John Lewis to AI Coca-Cola November 11, 2025 As the embers of bonfire night slowly cool in the rain, our minds are turned to Christmas in its full commercial glory. It’s funny how at this time of year people start to look at ads – the same people that have been actively avoiding them all year! Christmas adverts have become a necessary backdrop [...]
Blue Matter Enhances Twine™ Platform Capabilities in Response to Growing Demand November 11, 2025 Blue Matter today announced the expansion of its Twine™ data platform’s capabilities in response to accelerating demand from biopharma companies. Enhancements include thoughtful use of artificial intelligence (AI) for advanced analytics and narratives, expanded data source integrations, master data management, and broader deployment across oncology and specialty therapeutic areas. Twine™ is Blue Matter’s purpose-built customer [...]