Starmer urged to tighten law on Slapps following Mandelson scandal March 16, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to tighten the law to prevent the powerful and wealthy from stopping stories about them, following the Lord Mandelson scandal. A dozen Labour MPs have written to the Prime Minister to ensure that strategic lawsuits against public participation, known as Slapps, is included in the King’s Speech in May. [...]
Will Thames Water’s latest rescue package pass muster? March 16, 2026 Thames Water’s latest rescue package has been designed to fend off the public’s criticism of the way the company has been mismanaged. In a statement, Thames Water said the new detail would comprise £6.6bn of new debt – including £3.3bn accessible on day one of the rescue plan being implemented – which will be provided [...]
‘Pressure point’: Oil prices spike as Trump turns up heat on Nato March 16, 2026 The price of oil spiked once more as trading for the new week began after Donald Trump ramped up pressure on his Nato peers to help get supply flowing. Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, jumped 2.9 per cent as trading open after the weekend to near $106.12 a barrel, but later gave [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks jump, Oil spikes, fresh Thames Water rescue deal March 16, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. This morning Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, rose 1.8 per cent to $104.98 per barrel during early trading in Asia. It follows President Trump stating he is unwilling to make a deal with Iran and his energy secretary warning the war will [...]
It is the tax system, stupid: Why Britain’s entrepreneurs are selling out too soon March 16, 2026 Forget state handouts, let success finance itself with an agile tax framework to support entrepreneurs, writes Sam Merullo.
Manufacturers warn of ‘fragile footing’ as Iran war threatens to hike costs March 16, 2026 UK manufacturing has started the year on “fragile footing,” with its economic standing likely to worsen due to the conflict in the Middle East, the sector’s industry has warned. A new report from Make UK revealed the sector is set to grow by just shy one one per cent in 2026, a modest rebound after [...]
Small businesses ‘lose 379m hours a year’ on red tape March 16, 2026 Small businesses lose around 379m hours a year and spend around £36bn a year on dealing with red tape, new research has indicated, piling pressure on the Labour government to fast-track its deregulatory drive. Business secretary Peter Kyle has emphasised that the government remains committed to reducing the regulatory burden on businesses by up to [...]
The relentless rise of unregulated finfluencers March 16, 2026 Accessing financial advice used to be out of reach for many. But now, it’s on your commute, at the bus stop, and most dangerously, in your pocket. Get out your phone, open any social media app, and you’ll see a young man or woman, backlit by a ring light holding a pocket microphone, promising to [...]
Labour told to scrap ‘arbitrary’ inheritance tax system March 15, 2026 The UK government is being urged to scrap the inheritance tax system following warnings that that it enforces the UK as a “high-tax outlier” and risks stifling investment and driving entrepreneurs abroad. A new report from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) highlights that nearly half of the 38 OECD countries – where members are [...]
Children today will ‘work until 75’ amid pensions timebomb, think tank warns March 15, 2026 Children currently in primary school are set to work until the age of 75 as the “collapsing” birthrate blows a black hole in public finances, a think tank has warned. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has released a report claiming the UK is heading towards a “demographic cliff edge”. The report suggests the state [...]