Bank of England set to cut interest rates as US tariffs in focus May 4, 2025 UK interest rates are set to be cut to 4.25 per cent as the Bank of England eases costs for borrowers while it digests the impact of US tariffs on the economy. Most economists are expecting rates to be reduced by 0.25 percentage points on Thursday. Sandra Horsfield, an economist for Investec, said it is [...]
Next set to reveal profit increases amidst tariff uncertainty May 3, 2025 Next is expected to post rising profits next week despite a string of costs increases hitting retailers and broader concerns about UK consumer confidence. The retail giant will reveal its first quarter results on May 8, hot on the heels of profits of more than £1bn last year. Next, which has more than 450 stores [...]
MP defends ‘human cost’ of assisted dying bill after impact assessment May 3, 2025 Assisted dying is about the “human cost” and not pounds and pence, the MP behind the proposed legislation has said after an assessment of the potential costs. An impact assessment into the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was published on Friday, exactly a fortnight ahead of the next Commons debate on the proposed [...]
Reform’s local election sweep puts Starmer and Badenoch in hot seat May 3, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch face pressure to reverse their parties’ fortunes after the local elections saw Reform UK make major gains across England. Nigel Farage hailed the results as “the end of two-party politics” and “the death of the Conservative Party” as Reform picked up 10 councils and more than 600 seats in [...]
Co-op issues apology after hackers get hands on members’ personal data May 3, 2025 The Co-op has apologised after hackers accessed and extracted members’ personal data such as names and contact details. The retail firm said on Friday it is experiencing “sustained malicious attempts” to access its systems, having already shut off parts of its IT systems earlier this week. It comes after fellow retailers Harrods and Marks & [...]
Downing Street denies lobbying for Trump Turnberry to host Open in 2028 April 29, 2025 Downing Street says the selection of hosts of the Open is a matter for the organisers amid claims US President Donald Trump has made repeated requests to Sir Keir Starmer for golf’s oldest major to be held at his Turnberry course in 2028. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman did not deny that Whitehall officials had [...]
US tariffs threaten to derail UK economic growth, EY warns April 28, 2025 UK economic growth could slow sharply over the next two years as US tariffs weigh heavy on spending and investment, and uncertainty washes over households and businesses, new forecasts show. Recovery from a period of stagnant growth will be directly hampered by US President Donald Trump’s plans, EY Item Club said in a new report. [...]
Fuel for blast furnaces and iron ore supplies arrive at British Steel April 27, 2025 Steelworkers at Scunthorpe have been given a more certain future with the arrival of new raw materials to operate British Steel’s blast furnaces, ministers have announced. 55,000 tonnes of blast furnace coke have arrived in the UK to fuel the Scunthorpe plant in North Lincolnshire, and a shipment of more than 66,000 tonnes of iron ore pellets and 27,000 [...]
Trump’s apparent change of heart on Russia ‘welcome’, says senior minister April 27, 2025 Donald Trump’s apparent change of heart about Russia is “welcome”, a senior UK minister has signalled. The US president turned his criticism towards Vladimir Putin on Saturday after meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky on the fringes of the Pope’s funeral in Rome. Images of the encounter within the Vatican showed the two leaders locked in [...]
Tens of thousands set off on London Marathon April 27, 2025 Runners have set off on the 45th TCS London Marathon, with celebrities, MPs and the fathers of two girls killed in the Southport attack taking part. More than 56,000 participants are expected on the 26.2-mile course through the capital on what is forecast to be a warm, dry day with temperatures of up to 22C. [...]
