Starmer defends ‘treacherous’ Reeves and Miliband despite Badenoch jibes June 24, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer jumped to the defence of senior Cabinet ministers Ed Miliband and Rachel Reeves despite brutal attacks by the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. In one of his last Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer defiantly stood by the Chancellor, who sat on the front bench alongside him, and praised her for “breaking from austerity” and [...]
Burnham coronation closer yet Starmer ally raises alarm on borrowing June 24, 2026 Andy Burnham’s path to Downing Street has been all but cleared after Darren Jones ruled out entering a leadership race, spilling over to further speculation over the look of the next government’s Cabinet. Jones, a close ally of Sir Keir Starmer, was rumoured as a potential challenger to Burnham but the chief secretary to the [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 scrapes into green after Segro’s surge; Oil at pre-war levels after Trump snaps at industry June 24, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. European markets were a mixed bag on Wednesday after a bruising sell-off had investors across the globe dumping their equity exposure. In Europe, the FTSE 100 closed down just shy of 0.1 per cent on Tuesday, undershooting the bigger losses seen on Germany’s Dax at one per cent, [...]
Badenoch sets sights on battle with the Bank June 24, 2026 The City is in the mood for a regulatory bonfire and Kemi Badenoch hopes to be the one to light the flame. In this week’s column, Samuel Norman looks at the roadblocks she may face on her pursuit. “Don’t forget about Andrew Bailey.” That was the parting shot I got from a former Bank of [...]
Reeves’ new tax charge on cash ISAs faces fierce industry backlash June 23, 2026 The Treasury has revealed plans for the UK’s new ISA regime, which will see it tax interest on cash held in stocks and shares ISAs at 22 per cent, prompting fierce backlash from industry figures, who argue that the decision is “riddled with unintended consequences”. HMRC updated the market on three rules that will create [...]
Former Bank of England rate-setter to become next OBR chair June 23, 2026 A former rate-setter at the Bank of England and member of Morning Wire’s Shadow Monetary Policy Committee is set to become the chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility, the fiscal watchdog which has come under pressure from MPs and inadvertently leaked last year’s Budget. Jonathan Haskel, professor of economics at Imperial College London, will [...]
The next Prime Minister can change the conversation on the fiscal rules June 23, 2026 Since the defenestration of Liz Truss, the OBR has become an obsession in British politics. It need not be this way. Independent fiscal institutions are supposed to inform politics, not rule it. Other countries use them as sources of transparency, not as judge, jury and executioner, says Helen Thomas The next Prime Minister and Chancellor [...]
Burnham to lay out economic plan, but markets fear Miliband as Chancellor June 23, 2026 With more than three weeks to go before he can formally clinch the keys to 10 Downing Street, leadership challenger Andy Burnham is planning to make a major speech on the economy next week. It’s part of an effort to reassure the bond markets – to which he once said we shouldn’t be “in hock” [...]
As it happened: Stocks recover after markets rocked by tech-sell off; US claims ‘good foundations’ of Iran deal June 23, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Markets have shrugged off the latest developments in US-Iran peace with the FTSE 100 falling at open as London got swept up in the wider sell-off that rocked Asia and Wall Street overnight. This comes despite some progress in the Middle East, with Trump’s Vice President JD Vance [...]
Speed or stability? Bond markets strap in for Andy Burnham coronation June 22, 2026 City bond traders are strapping in for a “jumpy” ride as Andy Burnham looks set to cruise into Downing Street uncontested – even if a coronation helps head off the worst volatility, analysts have said. The former Manchester Mayor’s bid for the top job won a major boost today as former health secretary Wes Streeting [...]