Starmer weighs cut to EU student fees in bid for Brexit reset June 6, 2026 Keir Starmer is considering cutting university fees for European students as part of a broader package designed to deepen Britain’s economic ties with the EU, in what could become one of the most politically sensitive concessions of his post-Brexit reset. Ministers are weighing whether to lower tuition costs for EU students attending British universities as [...]
Burnham vows to cut the price of a pint as he turns on Labour tax rises June 6, 2026 Andy Burnham has launched a major policy intervention of the Makerfield by-election campaign with a pledge to cut business rates for pubs and ease the tax burden on small businesses, marking a clear break with Keir Starmer’s government. The Greater Manchester mayor said Labour had “got it wrong” on small businesses as he unveiled plans [...]
Andy Burnham ducks ‘fiscal rules exam’ despite pledge to stick to them June 6, 2026 Andy Burnham refused to explain Labour’s fiscal rules on Friday, despite insisting he would stick to them if he entered Downing Street, raising questions over the economic strategy underpinning his growing leadership bid. The Greater Manchester Mayor, who has spent months positioning himself as Labour’s most prominent alternative voice, was challenged to explain the government’s [...]
Billionaire John Caudwell: Britain needs to stop criticising the wealthy and start celebrating success June 5, 2026 Phones4U founder John Caudwell’s new Riviera development features a £250k statue of himself. Billionares should be proud of their success, he tells Felix Armstrong “If I was trying to purely make money, I would have built student accommodation in Manchester and put another 5,000 Chinese people in there,” billionaire and philanthropist John Caudwell says as [...]
Place your bets: Will Starmer stay in No 10 longer than England stay in the World Cup? June 4, 2026 He’s faced a difficult few weeks amid mounting scrutiny over his team selection and doubts over his wider strategy after a string of poor performances. If England bow out at this summer’s World Cup, will he survive? No, we’re not talking about team manager, Thomas Tuchel, but the beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It’s been [...]
Savvy the Squirrel and ‘simpler regulation’: New City minister reaffirms Labour’s investment push June 4, 2026 The government’s new City minister has doubled down on the government’s commitment to overhaul the UK’s investment culture and encourage more Brits to enter the stock market, including its new squirrel-themed nationwide campaign. Economic Secretary to the Treasury Rachel Blake, who took over from Lucy Rigby three weeks ago, noted that “too many people have [...]
£4.5bn black market cigarette tax loss should be ‘a major wake-up call’ for Labour June 4, 2026 Over half of cigarettes smoked in the UK are black market and are contributing £4.5bn to the country’s tax losses – a record high – according to new analysis from KPMG and tobacco giant Philip Morris. The findings show that 1.5bn more black-market, tax-free cigarettes were consumed by UK smokers last year compared to 2024, [...]
‘Don’t feel great’: Treasury minister irked by Darren Jones and Mandelson texts June 4, 2026 Treasury minister Lucy Rigby has appeared to criticise her fellow Cabinet colleague Darren Jones over texts he reportedly sent to Lord Peter Mandelson on the day he was sacked as ambassador to the US. Rigby, who currently holds Jones’ former role as chief secretary to the Treasury, told Sky News that she was unsettled by [...]
‘Dire’: Rapid decline in construction as sector slashes jobs June 4, 2026 A rapid decline in construction companies’ activity has forced bosses to cut employment, according to new data. S&P Global’s construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed that business activity declined at the fastest pace for six years. Putting the pandemic aside, the decline in construction output was the lowest since March 2009. The PMI reading was [...]
Mishcon de Reya to roll out new ‘bonus boost’ for associates June 4, 2026 City law firm Mishcon de Reya is offering its staff a ‘bonus boost’ for working additional hours to remain competitive in the legal pay race, City PM understands. The law firm has added a new ‘bonus boost’ to its pay structure, which will take effect in July 2027, for lawyers who record hours significantly above [...]
