Burnham won’t be bold enough to make devolution shift the dial on growth July 28, 2026 Within a year of Cornwall abolishing the 45p additional rate of income tax and reducing corporation tax to 15 per cent, hundreds of entrepreneurs and businesses, including dozens of major financial and professional services firms, had relocated to the county. The influx of private sector dynamism delivered an astonishing economic boost to a region that [...]
Exclusive: Wimbledon chiefs ready to defend brand amid Saudi tennis complex similarities July 28, 2026 Wimbledon chiefs stand ready to defend its distinctive green and purple branding after plans emerged for a Saudi tennis mega-complex with a similar colourway. Renders for a National Tennis Centre in Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya giga-project were released in June, showing a central court draped in foliage and 29 other courts decked out in a purple [...]
‘Moron premium’ – Westminster turmoil has ‘cost taxpayers £35bn’ since 2022 July 28, 2026 Secretive plotters and vengeful strategists in Westminster have cost taxpayers around £35bn since 2020, new research by one of the world’s top insurance companies has found. In a study into the costs of political fragility facing European governments, researchers at Allianz Trade found that the UK government continued to pay a “distinct political premium” due [...]
Ban foreign stocks from Isa wrapper, says top pensions boss July 28, 2026 The tax-free wrapper on a stocks and shares Isa should be restricted to investments in UK assets, according to the chair of a top pension fund who also called for an inheritance tax carve-out for retail investors who buy government bonds. Speaking at an event, Standard Life chair Nicholas Lyons argued limiting the tax incentive [...]
Robotaxi rules row drives Waymo-Uber rift ahead of London launch July 28, 2026 A row over how robotaxis should be regulated has become one of the main reasons relations between Waymo and Uber have deteriorated, sources familiar with the matter told Morning Wire, as the companies prepare to launch rival autonomous taxi services in London. At the heart of the ride-hailers’ dispute is whether new rules should favour [...]
Industry hits out at rumours as No 10 denies plan to abolish stamp duty and council tax July 27, 2026 Andy Burnham is “not considering” scrapping stamp duty and council tax, Downing Street has said, as the government moves to pour cold water on rumours of major tax changes that had spooked property sector leaders. Business chiefs condemned the government over the danger of property tax speculation after reports over the weekend suggested that Burnham [...]
Burnham and Healey face investor fury over summer of tax speculation July 27, 2026 Andy Burnham and John Healey are contending with a growing backlash from investors after another summer of tax speculation looks set to leave financial managers on edge. The chief executive of one of the UK’s biggest investment platforms, AJ Bell, urged Chancellor Healey to take a more emphatic approach on ruling out tax hikes across [...]
If SailGP steers towards ultra-aspirational audience it will soar July 27, 2026 Having spent two days consuming SailGP in Portsmouth, Matt Hardy looks at what’s next for the series dubbed F1 on water Akin to a horde of middle aged parents at an Algarve all-inclusive, an eager line forms within eyesight of prime real estate with hundreds ready to grab the best spot. But rather than being [...]
AI, drones and data: Defence giants splash record $4.1bn on tech start-ups July 27, 2026 Investment in defence tech start-ups has reached a record high this year as the world’s biggest arms companies step up spending on new military technology. New figures from Dealroom show defence contractors including BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Airbus have participated in $4.1bn (£3bn) of venture capital funding rounds so far this year, the highest [...]
Triumph for Tesla as top court rules 5G licensing case should be heard in UK July 27, 2026 The UK’s highest court has given the green light for Tesla to revive a lawsuit over 5G licensing in its electric cars, after the case was previously dismissed by a panel of judges three years ago. Elon Musk’s carmaker, one of the largest global manufacturers of electric vehicles, sued Avanci, a Texan company that supplies [...]