Chancellor rules out ‘tax and spend’ policies ahead of spring statement March 22, 2025 The Chancellor has ruled out “tax and spend” policies ahead of her spring statement next week. Rachel Reeves is under pressure to increase taxes or cut spending to meet the financial rules she set at the budget in October amid disappointing growth figures and higher-than-expected borrowing. Figures released on Friday came as a further blow, [...]
Free Thinking: Is Keir Starmer or Kemi Badenoch the real Margaret Thatcher? March 21, 2025 In this episode of Free Thinking, City PM Opinion and Features Editor is asking what Margaret Thatcher would make of Keir Starmer’s plans to cut red tape for businesses.
‘Fighting to overturn cruel tax’: Parties gear up for legal fight over private school fees March 21, 2025 Three claimant groups gear up for a legal challenge of the government's VAT policy on private schools next month
UK ambassadors to have growth ‘KPIs’, foreign secretary tells trade summit March 21, 2025 The UK’s ambassadors will have “KPIs that contribute to our economic growth” as diplomats shift to a more economic mindset, the foreign secretary has said. David Lammy told an audience of businesses that he wants the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to become the “international delivery arm of the government’s missions, the first of [...]
Ukraine peacekeeping talks reaching ‘military plan’ stage, says Starmer March 20, 2025 Talks on the Ukraine peacekeeping force are reaching the stage of a “military plan” aimed at “keeping the skies safe”, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Prime Minister has said the “timetable now is coming into focus”, and that if a deal comes to fruition, the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ needs to be ready [...]
Week in Business: Is Keir Starmer leading the UK into recession? March 20, 2025 Following the PM's punchy op-ed in City PM, Editor Christian May gives his reaction to Starmer's article and puts the Prime Minister's prose in context.
Politics ‘not show business’, Badenoch warns at Tory local elections launch March 20, 2025 The Conservatives are facing an “extremely difficult” challenge in May’s local elections, Kemi Badenoch warned as she launched the party’s campaign to win town halls. The Tory leader was also defiant about the threat her party faces from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, urging voters to remember politics is not “show business” and that “you will [...]
Defence: Building submarines is ‘blueprint’ for UK growth, Starmer says March 20, 2025 Building new submarines in Barrow-in-Furness is a “blueprint” for how increasing defence spending can boost prosperity across the UK, the Prime Minister has said. Sir Keir Starmer made the comments ahead of a visit to the town at the heart of Britain’s submarine-building industry. Sir Keir is expected to lay the keel for the next [...]
UK needs new settlement with EU, business group boss urges March 20, 2025 The UK’s businesses need a new settlement with the EU, the boss of one of the biggest business groups is urging. Shevaun Haviland, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), is calling for growth-driven improvements to the UK-EU relationship. It comes ahead of the organisation’s 2025 Driving International Trade Conference in central London, on [...]
FA should have seat on board of football regulator, say experts March 20, 2025 The Football Association (FA) should have a seat on the board of the independent football regulator, argues a new report by consultants LCP. LCP’s sports analytics and advisory unit calls for the incoming regulator to “work closely with the FA to guide its reform and build a modern football governance structure”. They add: “The focus [...]
