Watch: Spotlight turns on Reeves – and the state of our economy February 26, 2026 We haven’t heard much from Rachel Reeves so far this year – probably a deliberate strategy – but is the Chancellor set to make waves next week at the Spring Statement? Rachel Reeves didn’t have a great 2025. UK quarterly GDP growth peaked in Q1 at 0.7 per cent as firms front-loaded their activity to [...]
Brits push down house prices to dodge mansion tax February 26, 2026 House sellers are already pushing sale values below £2m in a bid to avoid the coming “mansion tax” on expensive homes. The high-value council tax surcharge (HVCTS) is not due to be implemented until April 2028 but estate agents Hamptons have found Brits are already taking steps to avoid the levy. The “mansion tax” charge [...]
Why Rachel Reeves’ low-key Spring Statement still matters February 26, 2026 This is the Spring Statement that Chancellor Rachel Reeves has long been waiting for in opposition: a moment of sheer insignificance. In May 2023, six months after the mini-budget debacle, Reeves offered a speech in opposition to Washington DC’s top independent think tank, the Peterson Institute, exalting her core economics philosophy of ‘securonomics’. She summarised [...]
It’s a sad story from brewery to pub February 26, 2026 It was a balmy 17 degrees in the Square Mile yesterday, drawing crowds out for a lunchtime pint in the sun. But in other parts of the country the hospitality sector is still in the grip of winter. Bad news came thick and fast from my native Cornwall yesterday, starting with confirmation that Sharp’s Brewery [...]
Service sector profits continue long decline February 26, 2026 Profitability in the UK’s service sector declined for the seventeenth consecutive rolling quarter, according to new data, with businesses reporting few signs of improvement on the horizon. The Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) latest survey on the service sector showed that rising costs put businesses’ bottom line under pressure. A weighted balance of -28 per [...]
Tory MP accuses Starmer of ‘blatant lie’ over energy bills claim February 25, 2026 A Tory backbencher has lashed out at Sir Keir Starmer for a “blatant lie” after he praised a drop in the energy price cap set by Ofgem. Katie Lam, who has weighed in on issues ranging from growth to immigration, said energy bills under Labour had spiked since it took to power in mid-2024. She [...]
St James’s Place offers up rewards of its turnaround to shareholders February 25, 2026 St James’s Place roused shareholder spirits on Wednesday as the leading UK wealth manager reported funds under management hitting record highs coupled with rising payouts. Funds under management jumped 16 per cent to £220bn, up from £190.2bn the prior year. Gross inflows reached £21.9bn, a 19 per cent increase from £18.4bn, while net inflows increased [...]
Starmer to consider ways to make student loans ‘fairer’ February 25, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has suggested he was open to making the student loans system “fairer” after pressure from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. During Prime Minister’s Questions, Badenoch pressed Starmer on costly student loan repayments, which she suggested were at a “breaking point” for graduates. The Tories have vowed to abolish real interest rates on plan [...]
St James’s Places shares jump as firm reports record funds under management February 25, 2026 St James’s Place saw funds under management reach record highs in its latest results, as more people choose to plough money into the UK’s leading wealth manager. Funds under management jumped 16 per cent to a record £220bn, up from £190.2bn the prior year, as the group attracted new clients and kept retention rates high. [...]
Low-key Spring Statement still poses risks for Rachel Reeves February 25, 2026 Just under a week from now the Chancellor will stand up and deliver the Spring Statement. We aren’t expecting any fireworks, not least because Rachel Reeves has made it clear that she only wants to preside over one major fiscal event a year, and that’s the Autumn Budget. Nevertheless, next Wednesday still has the potential [...]