Business

The government has borrowed £9.9 billion more than expected so far this fiscal year, intensifying the economic pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she prepares to deliver next week’s Budget. New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that public sector borrowing hit £17.4 billion in October, down £1.8 billion on the same month last year but still the third-highest October total on record. Since April, borrowing has reached £116.8 billion, the second-highest...

The government has announced a sweeping package of artificial intelligence investments and reforms designed to accelerate economic growth, support national renewal and strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in AI. Placing AI at the heart of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, ministers said the programme would unlock billions of pounds in private investment while enabling new opportunities for businesses, researchers and local communities. Central to the announcement is the creation of a major...

Retail sales slipped in October as wary consumers delayed purchases ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget and the start of the Black Friday discount period. Sales volumes fell by 1.1%, the first contraction in three months and significantly worse than the flat reading economists had expected. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the drop was partly driven by shoppers intentionally holding off on spending until this month’s major discount events. Grant Fitzner, ONS chief economist,...

The operator of the Channel Tunnel has frozen millions of pounds of planned investment in Britain and warned that rail fares could rise after the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) proposed a 200 per cent increase in its business rates bill. Eurotunnel, owned by French group Getlink, said it was in “deep disagreement” with the planned revaluation, describing it as “unjustified and confiscatory in nature”. The company currently pays £22 million a year in business rates...

In most British workplaces, people notice safety messages long before they meet a manager or supervisor. Simple visual prompts set expectations about behaviour, safety, and respect from the moment someone steps through the door. Those early cues shape how visitors feel about risk, responsibility, and standards inside the organisation. Clear no smoking signs are part of that first impression for staff, customers, and visitors. They show that leaders take legal duties seriously and want a...

Nearly two-thirds of fast-growth business founders believe the Labour government is “anti-business”, according to a new survey from Helm, one of the UK’s largest networks of scale-up entrepreneurs. In a poll of 400 Helm members, 63% said the government is anti-business, compared with just 23% who disagreed. A further 14% said they were unsure. Even more striking was the response to whether the government “rewards people for working hard”: 95% said it does not. The...

When considering portable sanitation, the immediate mental image is typically one of construction sites, with their iconic plastic units positioned near heavy machinery. While it’s undeniable that the construction industry is a primary beneficiary of these services, this perception can significantly undersell the vast utility and strategic importance of portable restrooms across the modern economic landscape. The scope of available units has expanded dramatically, moving far beyond the basic single-stall model. Businesses can now select...

When you meet Merhawi Tekle, you get the sense that he’s lived a few different lives — and mastered each one. From his early days playing soccer in Italy and with the Eritrean Community Association of Ontario, to operating heavy machinery and leading construction crews, to his current role keeping Toronto’s emergency medical equipment running, Tekle’s story is one of discipline, perseverance, and service. “I’ve always believed that hard work pays off,” he says. “Every...

Barclays has been accused of closing the bank account of a tech entrepreneur because she earns part of her income through the adult content platform OnlyFans. Madelaine Thomas, who runs a start-up called Image Angel while also generating income through adult content platforms, said the bank refused to open a business account for her company and had shut down an account linked to her work on OnlyFans and similar websites. Thomas applied for a business...

The Conservatives have accused Chancellor Rachel Reeves of undermining the Budget process and dragging the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) into political controversy after Labour briefed that improved economic forecasts prompted her to abandon plans for an income tax rise. Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride has written to Richard Hughes, chairman of the OBR, demanding clarity on when the Chancellor received the watchdog’s forecasts and whether they played any role in last week’s surprise U-turn....