Euan Blair edtech Multiverse laid off dozens more staff after losses widened January 5, 2026 An edtech firm founded by Tony Blair’s son Euan laid off dozens more staff after reporting widening losses, its latest accounts show. Multiverse, which was launched in 2016 and hit a valuation of £1.2bn in a 2022 funding round, said it made 55 payments for loss of office in the year to the end of [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Shell and BP lead index near 10,000 amid oil tensions January 5, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire morning liveblog. The FTSE 100 kicked off the new year on the front foot marking an intraday high of 10,046.25p on Friday in the first trading session of 2026. Whilst it slipped back in later trading, strong performances across blue-chip heavyweights including Rolls-Royce and Fresnillo, led [...]
Exclusive: Brits say taxpayer shouldn’t bail out struggling football and rugby clubs January 5, 2026 The majority of Brits say that the government should not use taxpayer money to support professional football and rugby clubs that are teetering on the edge of financial difficulty. Exclusive research by Ipsos for Morning Wire shows that British adults think football teams (67 per cent) and rugby teams (66 per cent) should not seek [...]
UK economy showing signs of ‘zombie apocalypse,’ says think tank January 5, 2026 The UK economy faces a “zombie apocalypse” in the coming year, as years of tough trading conditions force thousands of unproductive firms to the wall, an influential left-leaning think tank has predicted. The Resolution Foundation forecasts a “triple whammy” of multi-year increases in interest rates, energy prices and the minimum wage will lead to the [...]
Rainy day savings, pensions and stocks: Brits’ 2026 financial resolutions January 5, 2026 Nearly one in three people are aiming to reduce their monthly spending in 2026, as more Brits look to boost their savings. According to a survey commissioned by Pensions UK, committing to building up ‘rainy day’ savings as a new year’s resolution has grown in importance, with 28 per cent planning to do so this [...]
Fines for uninsured drivers could rise under new plans January 4, 2026 Uninsured drivers may face higher fines and tougher penalties under new government plans to improve road safety and reduce the cost of car insurance. Under current rules, an uninsured driver may face a £300 fine and six points on their licence, which is less than the average annual insurance premium. The government is seeking to [...]
European office deals rebound in 2025 January 4, 2026 European office deals bounced back last year, as investors ploughed money into transactions after the prospect of a supply crunch revitalised the sector. A total of 21 transactions worth £100m or more were completed in central London as of mid-December, up from the 12 completed during 2024, first reported in the Financial Times. Meanwhile, nine [...]
Starmer: I’ll still be prime minister going into 2027 January 4, 2026 Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he will still leading the country this time next year, dismissing concerns about his leadership, despite growing rumours about challenges within the party. The Labour leader said that frequent leadership changes were not in the national interest, taking note of the “chopping and changing” of prime minister under [...]
Why 2026 will be the year of technology and AI in sport January 4, 2026 Arthur Hu, the chief information officer at Lenovo, discusses why 2026 is the year for AI and technology in sport It feels as if the sporting calendar never stops, it just keeps spinning with yet another tournament, match or race around the corner. And 2026 will be no different, headlined by the Winter Olympic and [...]
The ultimate Sunday Scaries: How to cope with the January return to work January 4, 2026 Forget Blue Monday, the Sunday before going back to work after the Christmas break may be the scariest day of all. Here's how to cope.