Government to lower voting age to 16 and tighten donation rules July 17, 2025 The government will lower the voting age to 16 at the next election and tighten checks on political donations in sweeping reforms aimed at “restoring trust” in democracy and elections. In democratic changes led by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, the government said it would tighten rules on foreign donations to political parties, which it [...]
Week in Business: Reeves bets on the banks but economy still hurting July 17, 2025 Rachel Reeves set out to charm the City this week, but elsewhere, the economy is reeling from high taxes and low confidence.
House of Lords vote in favour of Tory-backed alternative to ‘day-one’ employment rights July 17, 2025 The House of Lords has voted vastly in favour of a Conservative-led amendment to the 'day-one' rights in the final reporting stage of the Employment Rights Bill
Labour minister: UK-EU trade deal could take another year to kick in July 17, 2025 The UK’s trade deal with the European Union, set to ease food standards and align energy markets could still take another year to come into effect, a Labour minister has warned. In a landmark post-Brexit deal, the UK and EU agreed a deal on food standards to slash red tape for British exporters while giving [...]
Sticky inflation takes shine off Reeves’ week July 17, 2025 If the Chancellor was hoping to bask in the glow of supportive front-page coverage the morning after her Mansion House speech, she would have been disappointed. The spectacular revelations of Whitehall’s hushed-up cock-up over Afghan refugees knocked her off the top of the news agenda pretty much across the board. Only City PM gave her [...]
Sadiq Khan to host first-ever mayoral London-Africa business summit July 17, 2025 Sadiq Khan has unveiled plans to host the first-ever mayoral London-Africa business summit next year in a bid to deepen trading ties with the continent. According to the mayor, the summit will bring together entrepreneurs and investors, state officials, trade groups and stock exchanges from across the continent, with the aim of promoting London as [...]
Keir Starmer bars Labour MPs after rebellion July 16, 2025 Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suspended at least four Labour MPs who have had a record of voting against the government in parliament. The Labour backbenchers to have been barred from the party include Neil Duncan-Jordan, Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff and Rachael Maskell. Sources told The Times, which first reported the story, that the MPs [...]
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out pension tax raid July 16, 2025 Prime Minister Keir Starmer shied away from ruling out a pensions tax raid at the Autumn Budget despite top researchers’ calls for the government to refrain from adding ever-higher cost burdens on Britons. Keir Starmer has faced repeated questions about several taxes being introduced later this year given City estimates that as much as £24bn [...]
City raises a glass to Reeves’ reforms July 16, 2025 The City may have been a bit damp and grey yesterday but the Chancellor appeared as a welcome ray of sunshine. At City PM, we haven’t held back in our criticism of this government’s economic policies – and we’ll return to that theme before long, I’m sure – but we also believe in giving credit [...]
Regulation is ‘a boot on the neck of businesses’, Rachel Reeves to warn at Mansion House July 15, 2025 Financial services regulation is “a boot on the neck of businesses,” Rachel Reeves is expected to say as the Chancellor delivers her annual Mansion House speech later today. Reeves will urge watchdogs to “take up the call” of regulating for growth rather than “bend to the temptation of excessive caution” as she seeks to showcase [...]
