There’s nothing new in Zack Polanski’s fantasy economics November 25, 2025 Let’s go for a lyrical opening to this column: “The newspapers shout a new style is growing, but I don’t know if it’s coming or going, there is fashion, there is fad, some is good, some is bad, and the joke – rather sad – that it’s all just a little bit of history repeating.” [...]
Ex-OBR chiefs: Reeves was warned about productivity downgrade November 25, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves was warned about costly productivity downgrades and should have left a bigger fiscal headroom at the Spring Statement, former Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) officials have said. Speaking to Morning Wire, a number of leading economists raised questions around Reeves’ statements suggesting an OBR review of productivity trend forecasts has forced her [...]
Security minister vows stricter cyber regime after JLR fallout November 24, 2025 Security minister Dan Jarvis has pledged a more hard-edged cyber regime for UK businesses after a series of high-profile attacks on firms including Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Marks & Spencer exposed weaknesses in the country’s digital defences. Speaking at the Parliament & Cyber Conference at Westminster on Monday, Jarvis said cyber incidents had moved [...]
Government to back ‘gold-plated’ Heathrow expansion November 24, 2025 The government is poised to plough ahead with a controversial £49bn plan to build a third runway over the M25 proposed by the owner of Heathrow airport, despite warnings from airline bosses that it will make the hub more expensive and the construction process considerably more complicated. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander will confirm the decision to [...]
Fund managers remain bullish amid private credit fears November 24, 2025 Fund managers are bullish heading into the next financial year, despite growing fears over the private credit market and the burst of the AI bubble. According to the latest investor trends survey from wealth manager Quilter, on a scale of one to 10, the average fund manager’s risk appetite increased from 5.4 to 5.9 in [...]
CBI chair condemns ‘incoherence’ of Labour’s Employment Rights Bill November 24, 2025 Rupert Soames, the outgoing chair of the Confederation of British Industry, has lambasted the Labour government for promising to cut regulatory burdens while pushing ahead with its Employment Rights Bill and adding to the cost of hiring. In a closing speech at the CBI’s annual conference on Monday, Soames questioned the government’s performance and “flakey [...]
Welfare system in ‘crisis’ as number of Brits on out-of-work benefits exceeds 5m November 24, 2025 The number of people claiming benefits with no requirement to work has increased beyond 5m, new analysis has found, amid fresh calls for the government to tackle welfare reform in the near term. Analysis by the Centre for Social Justice has estimated that the total number of people on Universal Credit and those on Employment [...]
Rachel Reeves set to cut cash ISA limit to £12,000 November 24, 2025 Savers are facing a major policy shake-up at the forthcoming Budget as Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly planning to slash the annual cash ISA ceiling to £12,00 in a bid to encourage increased investment in stocks instead of hoarding cash. People close to preparations for Wednesday’s Budget said Reeves had decided to reduce the limit [...]
Fifa and Saudi Arabia team up again in $1bn stadium loans project November 24, 2025 Saudi Arabia and Fifa have demonstrated their close ties by offering up to $1bn (£760m) in soft loans for member football associations in developing countries to build or revamp stadiums. The Saudi Fund for Development has pledged to provide the finance, which Fifa said would “prioritise developing nations… helping them invest in facilities that drive [...]
Budget risks stifling UK sports stars of tomorrow, industry warns Reeves November 24, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves risks cutting off the UK’s pipeline of sporting talent with reform of business rates in the Autumn Budget, industry leaders have told Morning Wire. In a wide-ranging survey of governing bodies and other stakeholders across the sector, expected changes to business rates due to be announced by Reeves tomorrow and take effect [...]