Reeves’ Spring Statement gave us little to be cheery about March 4, 2026 Rachel Reeves put on a brave face when she stood up at the dispatch box yesterday afternoon to unveil her Spring Statement. And although we were subjected to the usual staccato delivery, the Chancellor’s performance was more confident than usual. But a cursory glance at the latest Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) projections show there [...]
Spring Statement: Reeves’ pro-growth message ‘at odds’ with reality, say retailers March 4, 2026 The pro-growth message delivered by the Chancellor at the spring statement is at odds with the high-cost reality faced by businesses, retail and hospitality leaders have said. Leaders in the sector have called on the Labour government to deliver urgent reform to the business rates system and slash tax and policy barriers to hiring to [...]
Voters say Starmer should resign over Mandelson affair March 4, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer should resign over his handling of the Peter Mandelson scandal as his apology failed to deal with allegations of sleaze within the Labour Party, the majority of voters believe. The latest Morning Wire/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters has found that over half of Brits (59 per cent) believe Starmer should have [...]
First real estate float on challenger stock market Aquis March 4, 2026 A Yorkshire retail centre will become the first real estate asset to float on Aquis, London’s challenger stock exchange, with the firm to issue more than £25m in shares, Morning Wire can reveal. Scotch Corner Designer Village will launch its IPO in April, becoming the first listing as part of Aram, Aquis’ real estate division. [...]
OpenAI rewrites Pentagon AI deal following backlash March 3, 2026 OpenAI has amended its newly signed contract with the US Department of War after chief executive Sam Altman admitted the original announcement “looked opportunistic and sloppy”. The news triggered fears the company’s technology could be used for domestic mass surveillance. The San Francisco-based AI firm signed the agreement with the Pentagon on Friday, hours after [...]
KSI takes stake in Dagenham and Redbridge and vows to bring back glory days March 3, 2026 YouTube phenomenon KSI has acquired a stake in non-league football club Dagenham and Redbridge FC. The British star, who has also enjoyed success in music and boxing, said in a video announcement: “I’m so excited to start this journey. It’s going to be a rollercoaster for sure but I hope to bring Dagenham and Redbridge [...]
Reeves to meet North Sea oil bosses amid inflation ‘uncertainty’ March 3, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has revealed she will meet North Sea oil and gas bosses on Wednesday in London, with a market price surge putting the UK economy’s path towards lower inflation in jeopardy. Reeves told MPs during her Spring Statement that she would meet energy bosses from companies operating off Scotland as the government looks [...]
English cricket facing tragedy if ECB doesn’t change, warns county boss March 3, 2026 English cricket chiefs risk the “tragedy” of counties going bust unless they offer more support to those without international matches or The Hundred, says Hampshire chief Rod Bransgrove. Sussex are among those to have suffered financial difficulties, leading to a points deduction from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the departure of chairman Jon [...]
Iranian drone attack sees ATP tennis players flee court March 3, 2026 An Iranian drone attack forced players and officials on a tennis court at an ATP Challenger event in the UAE to flee for cover on Tuesday. Two matches at the tournament, taking place in Fujairah were interrupted after a fire broke out at an oil terminal around 10km from the ATP Challenge event site. Japan’s [...]
Construction recovery remains fragile amid high costs March 3, 2026 The construction sector is recovering but its growth remains fragile as developers contend with high wages, planning delays and labour shortages. The industry will grow over the next year due to major infrastructure projects but confidence in the housebuilding and commercial sectors remains shaken, according to a report by construction firm McBains shared exclusively with [...]