Brexit division to return to parliament in bill for EU deal January 6, 2026 New dividing lines are set to open up in parliament over the coming months as the government prepares to lay out a bill to get its EU “reset” deal signed off by MPs. Keir Starmer has signalled his intention to build closer trade ties with the world’s largest economic bloc in a bid to boost [...]
Employers brace for more layoffs as headcount expectations drop January 6, 2026 Employers are preparing to lay off more staff as higher payroll costs from taxes and red tape are hitting headcount expectations, an industry survey has found. The Institute of Directors’ monthly business confidence survey showed that headcount expectations dropped in December after Rachel Reeves’ Budget unveiled a salary sacrifice cap and higher taxes on airports [...]
Industry boss slams Labour for lack of tech sector support January 5, 2026 The boss of the world’s biggest tech trade show yesterday took aim at the UK government’s support for tech startups, following a disappointing show of Brits at the annual tech conference. “The British presence has been spotty, which is surprising to me” compared to European rivals, announced Gary Shapiro, who has been with the CTA [...]
FTSE 100 closes above 10,000 after Trump triggers defence rally January 5, 2026 British defence and mining stocks set the FTSE 100 flying high on Monday after the fallout from the United States’ capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro heightened investor appetite. The surging stock prices helped the blue-chip index cement its first close over the 10,000 mark, ending the session at 10,004.57 after a 0.5 per cent [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Embracing elective dictatorship could save Starmer January 2, 2026 Starmer's government should be the most powerful in the West. To save the Labour party he must remember that in 2026, writes John McTernan.
Activity in UK’s embattled manufacturing sector hits 15-month high January 2, 2026 The UK’s embattled manufacturing sector took another small step towards recovery at the end of 2025 thanks to an influx of new orders. The latest UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) from S&P Global UK hit a 15-month high as the industry continued to grow for the second consecutive month. The PMI reading hit 50.6, up [...]
Housing market ended 2025 on ‘softer note’ after ‘resilient’ year January 2, 2026 The UK housing market rounded off 2025 on a softer note after remaining “resilient” through a volatile year, according to Nationwide’s latest house price index. Annual house price growth slowed to 0.6 per cent in December from 1.8 per cent in November, with a 0.4 per cent fall in prices. This took the average UK [...]
Labour ‘quietly hammering’ workers as pensioners benefit, think tank warns January 2, 2026 The Labour government is “quietly hammering” workers following the Autumn Budget’s stealth tax raid while pensioners and those on benefits are set to enjoy a jump in income, a think tank has said. In the November Budget, Rachel Reeves extended the freeze on income tax thresholds until 2031 – a move which is viewed as [...]