Pub industry ‘screaming for a reset’ amid wave of closures, says Shepherd Neame boss March 5, 2026 The beer and pub industry is “screaming for a reset”, the boss of the UK’s oldest brewer has warned, as companies brace for more venue closures under the strain of sharp tax hikes and minimum wage rises. Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Aquis-listed Shepherd Neame, which traces its roots back to 1698, said the “real [...]
Bank of England could raise interest rates over Iran energy price shock March 4, 2026 The Bank of England could raise interest rates this year if energy prices fail to return to levels seen before the start of America’s war with Iran, leading economists have warned. Analysts across the City and at Westminster think tanks have suggested that higher inflation caused by disruption in oil and gas movements across the [...]
Labour urged to give HENRYs a hand to boost investment March 4, 2026 The sheer tax cliff-edge facing workers earning £100,000 or more is harming the UK’s ambitions to foster greater retail investment, according to IG. New research from the online investment platform found that HENRYs, an acronym which stands for High Earner, Not Rich Yet, are unable to invest as much as they would like due to [...]
The £100k tax cliff edge is punishing ambition March 4, 2026 The £100,000 income cliff edge has become one of the most punitive and distortionary features of the UK tax landscape, says Michael Healy The government has made clear that it wants to boost economic growth, strengthen UK capital markets, and encourage greater participation in investing. These are ambitions we strongly support. But one part of [...]
Starmer refuses to reveal date of defence investment plan March 4, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer hit back at criticism the UK government was not spending enough on defence amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East putting RAF jets and British nationals at risk. The Prime Minister declined to reveal when the much-anticipated defence investment plan would be published as Kemi Badenoch centred her attacks on the [...]
UK economy held back by ‘rationing’ of energy, land and capital March 4, 2026 The government must focus on “ending the rationing” of the UK’s energy, land and capital if it wants to reinvigorate the economy, according to a leading City analyst. In a research note published this morning, Simon French, head of research at Panmure Liberum, argued that policies from successive governments had effectively created a rationing system [...]
Asda boss: Government ‘more and more difficult’ to deal with March 4, 2026 The boss of supermarket chain Asda has said the government has become “more and more difficult” to deal with, claiming the pressures on business posed by policy have ballooned since he began his career. Allan Leighton, Asda’s chair, said businesses are increasingly facing obstacles to growth which are “not of their own making”. At Tuesday’s [...]
Services sector cuts jobs and hikes prices after Reeves’ tax raid March 4, 2026 The UK’s services sector has turned to hiking prices and shedding workers in an effort to balance the books in the face of rising cost pressures from government policy. Businesses activity picked up for the tenth-consecutive month in February, according to the latest Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) from S&P, but came amid a “solid” amount [...]
Leeds United: Westfield mogul Lowy issues ultimatum over £2bn project March 4, 2026 Leeds United director and Westfield tycoon Peter Lowy has urged government to speed up plans for a multi-billion-pound redevelopment of the city. The Premier League club’s American owners, 49ers Enterprises, have begun work on expanding Elland Road by more than 15,000 seats to a 53,000-capacity stadium. But they want to make it the centrepiece of [...]
Living standards to be ‘far bleaker’ after 2026 despite Reeves’ claims March 4, 2026 UK living standards are projected to drop in the two years before the next General Election as economists warned people were heading for “far bleaker” times ahead, turning up the heat on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to deliver on a commitment to ease the cost of living. Economists at the Resolution Foundation, the left-leaning Westminster think [...]
