‘Picking winners? This is about backing champions’ – Reform’s Zia Yusuf on a radical approach to business December 16, 2025 Reform has by any measure enjoyed an incredible 2025. But for much of the poll-topping year, its economic vision has remained an unknown entity. Ali Lyon met policy chief Zia Yusuf to hear, for the first time, his party’s plans for Britain’s flatlining economy and the millions of businesses in it. Zia Yusuf is feeling [...]
Starling revs up Engine with City hiring spree December 16, 2025 Starling is motoring into 2026 with its foot firmly on the pedal, injecting a fresh pump of gas into the group’s technology arm. The UK fintech veteran is planning to shift its software-as-a-service (Saas) banking platform into top gear with a major hiring spree across London. The platform, known as Engine, is a subsidiary of [...]
Inflation to remain sticky before interest rates call December 15, 2025 Inflation is expected to remain stubbornly high in fresh data to be released on Wednesday, adding greater scrutiny to the Bank of England’s upcoming interest rates decision. Price growth is set to remain at 3.5 per cent in the year to November, a slight fall from the month before, according to consensus established by Trading [...]
Business chiefs back Employment Rights Bill progression despite ‘concerns’ December 15, 2025 Business leaders have called on parliament to pass the Employment Rights Bill after it secured a compromise on day one rights for unfair dismissal. Six industry groups have written a joint letter to business secretary Peter Kyle stating their support for parliamentarians to pass the bill. The letter now puts pressure on crossbench peers and [...]
High earners see purchasing powers eroded after Budget measures December 15, 2025 High earner households could lose thousands in purchasing power over the next few years as a result of measures introduced in last month’s Autumn Budget. According to analysis of HM Treasury data, high earners not rich yet (HENRY) households will see an average reduction in their annual purchasing powers by over £15,000 by 2029, due [...]
Motor finance lenders brace for legal battles amid redress spat December 15, 2025 Motor finance lenders have been sent a major warning over a potential influx of legal battles if the UK’s financial watchdog fails to “genuinely compensate” consumers. Britain’s top banks were thought to have been granted some reprieve earlier this year after the Supreme Court sided with upheld the appeals of two lenders in the landmark [...]
Reform UK to offer bumper bonus to high-performing civil servants December 15, 2025 Nigel Farage’s Reform UK would offer bumper bonus payments to the best-performing civil servants delivering on government policy and objectives. In a shake-up of how Whitehall works, Reform UK’s Danny Kruger revealed the party would increase the bonus pool for performance-related pay by five times. The new budget would be aimed at retaining the “finest [...]
Budget knocks confidence to two-year low amid ‘deteriorating conditions’ December 15, 2025 Households’ nerves about future finances has jumped to a two-year high, a top survey has indicated, with extra taxes expected to dampen activity in the UK economy. S&P Global researchers have said that Britons were more pessimistic about their financial health over the next twelve months than at any time since December 2023, with confidence [...]
The City needs more Tiggers and fewer Eeyores December 15, 2025 If we want the world to choose London for financial services, we need to get better at rolling out the red carpet and signposting investors to everything London has to offer, says Susan Langley In my last column, I talked about getting ready for the first ever Lady Mayor’s Banquet. With these big set-piece moments [...]
Hikma: FTSE 100 giant’s boss replaced by former chief after share price woes December 15, 2025 The boss of FTSE 100 giant Hikma Pharmaceuticals will be replaced by the firm’s former top chief after the group’s share price dropped by nearly a quarter this year. Riad Mishlawi has exited his role as chief executive at Hikma, with executive chairman Said Darwazah to step into the post with “immediate effect”. It ends [...]