Mark Kleinman: Share price slump moves Steiner closer to Ocado checkout Business Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his City AM column Share price slump moves Steiner closer to Ocado checkout Five words might have given it away: “Ocado confirms that the CEO and the board continually engage in long-term succession planning and regularly engage with potential candidates,” said the somewhat [...]
Burnham’s new chief of staff ran City firm advising Thames Water and rival Heathrow bidder Advisory Andy Burnham’s likely chief of staff will move to Downing Street from a lobbying firm that counts Thames Water and the rival bidder for Heathrow’s third runway as clients, just as ministers mull decisions that could decide both organisations’ fate. James Purnell is widely tipped to become Burnham’s most senior right-hand man should the Makerfield [...]
Thames Water is Burnham’s first big test: will he do what’s right or what’s popular? Opinion Thames Water will run out of money in a matter of months, but the government rejected a plan to save it. Now, Burnham’s talk of renationalisation is already scaring off investors and reducing the tax revenues available to fun public services, says Natascha Engel Now that Keir Starmer has announced his departure, the question is [...]
Taxpayers will foot the bill for Burnham’s renationalisation whims June 22, 2026 Nationalisation will simply have the Treasury assume private spending commitments with little knowledge of how to run these businesses, thereby increasing the burden on taxpayers, says Valentin Boboc For the first time in nine years, Andy Burnham is back in Westminster. With his eyes on the top job and a year rife with debate about [...]
Thames Water on cusp of public ownership after ‘weak’ deal June 16, 2026 Thames Water is on the cusp of being placed in temporary public ownership after the government raised concern with a proposed £10bn rescue by its lenders. It was reported last night that the environment secretary Emma Reynolds had outlined a number of concerns to the industry regulator Ofwat ahead of a final decision on the [...]
Thames Water, energy grid, rent prices: Burnham drums up public control agenda June 13, 2026 Andy Burnham will press for an agenda of public control over water companies, the national energy grid and government procurement regulation if he becomes Prime Minister. Reports on Saturday indicated that the Manchester mayor, who is standing as Labour’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election before a likely bid to become the party’s leader, would push [...]
Thames Water eyes return to London Stock Exchange while Pennon back in profit June 10, 2026 There was a stark reminder for the City of the risks and rewards on offer to investors in water utilities on Wednesday, from two of the industry’s biggest names. One of them, Thames Water, is eyeing a return to the London Stock Exchange after a disastrous spell in private hands loaded it with debt and [...]
Thames Water could dodge fines under controversial new Ofwat deal April 2, 2026 Ofwat is preparing a controversial new deal with the UK’s largest water company which would allow the beleaguered utility firm to avoid any new fines over the next four years in exchange for a commitment to invest new cash in the business. The sector regulator is planning to accept “undertakings” in place of financial penalties [...]
Mark Kleinman: Industry steels itself for long road to recovery March 19, 2026 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his City AM column Industry steels itself for long road to recovery Steel yourselves: I make no apology for returning for the umpteenth time in this column to the future of the UK’s beleaguered steel industry. More than five years since [...]
Will Thames Water’s latest rescue package pass muster? March 16, 2026 Thames Water’s latest rescue package has been designed to fend off the public’s criticism of the way the company has been mismanaged. In a statement, Thames Water said the new detail would comprise £6.6bn of new debt – including £3.3bn accessible on day one of the rescue plan being implemented – which will be provided [...]