Andy Burnham ducks ‘fiscal rules exam’ despite pledge to stick to them June 6, 2026 Andy Burnham refused to explain Labour’s fiscal rules on Friday, despite insisting he would stick to them if he entered Downing Street, raising questions over the economic strategy underpinning his growing leadership bid. The Greater Manchester Mayor, who has spent months positioning himself as Labour’s most prominent alternative voice, was challenged to explain the government’s [...]
London house prices fall as Bank of England rate hikes loom over mortgage market June 5, 2026 Fresh insight into the UK’s lacklustre housing market revealed price declines for London and the South East on Friday, while the overall national rate of increase halved for May The closely-watched Halifax House Price Index was released with mortgage holders and would-be home buyers eyeing interest rate rises from the Bank of England (BOE). The [...]
William Hill owner Evoke shares rocket as it braces for £243m takeover from Bally’s Intralot June 5, 2026 Betting group Evoke shares rocketed in early morning trading, after gambling firm Bally’s Intralot on the terms and conditions for a takeover, as UK businesses brace for an online gambling tax hike. Shares soared 16.2 per cent to 46.4 pence per share, with shares up 24.2 per cent since January. The Greek company’s board has [...]
The UK chemicals sector is in trouble June 5, 2026 From ammonia to plastics, there can be no modern economy without a functioning chemicals industry, and Britain's is in peril.
Britain has turned its back on liberalism June 5, 2026 Britain is governed by a veto-cracy, a framework in which all progress is stalled thanks to a noisy minority, writes Julia Willemyns.
Place your bets: Will Starmer stay in No 10 longer than England stay in the World Cup? June 4, 2026 He’s faced a difficult few weeks amid mounting scrutiny over his team selection and doubts over his wider strategy after a string of poor performances. If England bow out at this summer’s World Cup, will he survive? No, we’re not talking about team manager, Thomas Tuchel, but the beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It’s been [...]
Savvy the Squirrel and ‘simpler regulation’: New City minister reaffirms Labour’s investment push June 4, 2026 The government’s new City minister has doubled down on the government’s commitment to overhaul the UK’s investment culture and encourage more Brits to enter the stock market, including its new squirrel-themed nationwide campaign. Economic Secretary to the Treasury Rachel Blake, who took over from Lucy Rigby three weeks ago, noted that “too many people have [...]
Gone for good: UK distributor behind Take That film goes bust June 4, 2026 The London-based distributor behind the Take That musical film has gone bust, Morning Wire can reveal, in the latest sign of the intense cost pressures facing the industry. Elysian Film Group Distribution is part of the wider Elysian umbrella, founded by former Studiocanal chief Danny Perkins in 2018. FRP Advisory has been appointed as liquidators [...]
£4.5bn black market cigarette tax loss should be ‘a major wake-up call’ for Labour June 4, 2026 Over half of cigarettes smoked in the UK are black market and are contributing £4.5bn to the country’s tax losses – a record high – according to new analysis from KPMG and tobacco giant Philip Morris. The findings show that 1.5bn more black-market, tax-free cigarettes were consumed by UK smokers last year compared to 2024, [...]
Lex Greensill banned as company director for nine years after multi-billion-pound collapse June 4, 2026 The UK Insolvency Service has confirmed that financier Lex Greensill will face a nine-year ban from serving as a company director, after he signed a legally binding disqualification undertaking to resolve long-running enforcement proceedings just days before a scheduled High Court trial. The Insolvency Service, which opened its probe into him in 2022, filed a [...]