Manufacturers urge government to ‘get growth off the floor’ at Budget November 4, 2025 The manufacturing industry has warned the government to prioritise growth in the Budget as the sector fights back from a year-long downturn in the face of “existential threats.” Manufacturers have faced mounting pressures over the last 12 months as business costs soared in the aftermath of Labour’s first Budget before tariff uncertainty and persistently high [...]
Starmer urged to back journalism as AI erodes trust in UK media November 3, 2025 Britain’s media leaders have urged the Prime Minister to take decisive action to protect trusted journalism from a rising tide of misinformation, warning that the future of the country’s news ecosystem is at risk. In a letter to Keir Starmer, senior figures from the BBC, Sky, ITN, and the News Media Association (NMA), which represents [...]
Rachel Reeves’ banking reforms ‘unlikely to be transformative’ November 3, 2025 Rachel Reeves’ financial services growth mission faces a major blow with top City voices warning her regulatory reforms won’t be transformative. The Chancellor unveiled her Leeds Reform package intended to “rewire the financial services industry” in July this year. Whilst the moves were cheered by industry bigwigs, analysts have raised concerns the changes will fail [...]
Autumn Budget could ‘exacerbate’ manufacturing challenges November 3, 2025 Fears that the UK manufacturing industry’s recovery could be “short-lived” have jumped as firms brace for a painful Autumn Budget. The latest S&P Global’s manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) edged up to 49.7 in October, marking a 12-month high for the sector. But this remained stubbornly below the all-important 50.0 threshold, which indicates whether a [...]
New body to run military housing in Ministry of Defence overhaul November 3, 2025 Ministers are set to create a new quango to run military housing after concluding the Ministry of Defence was not up to the job. The new Defence Housing Service, to be announced by Defence Secretary John Healey on Monday, will take over management of service accommodation after years of complaints about poor quality homes. It [...]
Defence secretary: there will be “consequences” from weak economic forecasts November 2, 2025 Defence Secretary John Healey has warned there will be “consequences” from recent weaker economic forecasts in the nearing Autumn Budget. The minister insisted no final decisions had been made for the upcoming Budget, which will be delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on 26 November. However, he acknowledged that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) saw [...]
Banned China tech firms lobbied for London embassy November 2, 2025 Chinese tech firms banned on national security grounds in both the UK and the United States lobbied for Beijing’s new embassy in London, growing fears it could be used as an overseas “spy centre”. State-controlled company ZTE Mobile, which was deemed by GCHQ to pose a risk to British telecommunications infrastructure that “cannot be mitigated”, [...]
Business confidence at ‘rock bottom’ as tax rumours spook directors November 1, 2025 Business confidence remained at “rock bottom” in October as Budget rumours test executives’ nerves amid fears of rising costs and a collapse in growth, a top industry group’s survey has indicated. Rachel Reeves has publicly said that tax hikes are under consideration at this year’s Budget while rumours have suggested big businesses could be hit [...]
Labour ploughs ahead with higher welfare spending October 31, 2025 The Labour government is backing higher welfare spending projections for the next five years, with plans to partially lift the two-child benefit cap set to add to the strain on public finances. An official statement from the government confirmed that the government would ditch planned savings to disability payments, which are formally known as personal [...]
Labour’s evidence-free approach to policy is baffling October 31, 2025 Keir Starmer is often criticised for lacking an ideology, but his actions suggest a pathological belief in in restricting personal freedoms, impoverishing strivers and narrowing horizons of young people. Or socialism, for short, says James Price A catchphrase I’m fond of reciting is that the best way to make God laugh is to tell Him [...]
