Chancellor Rachel Reeves has abandoned plans to raise income tax in this month’s Budget, backing away from what would have been a dramatic break with Labour’s manifesto pledge after warnings it risked sparking a backlash among MPs and voters. According to officials briefed on the decision, Reeves and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have “ripped up” the proposal, which had been included in the Chancellor’s initial submission of “major measures” to the Office for Budget...
Scottish salmon farming is now adding £1 billion a year to Scotland’s economy, according to a major new independent study that underscores the sector’s growing importance to rural communities, the national supply chain and Scotland’s global reputation for high-quality food production. The report, produced by BiGGAR Economics for Salmon Scotland, reveals that the industry’s overall economic contribution has risen by 25 per cent in four years, reflecting both sustained domestic demand and record-breaking international exports....
For catering and food businesses, packaging shapes the entire experience – how well the food travels, how customers consume it and what they say about it afterwards. Yet the story doesn’t end with the meal itself. What happens to those cups and containers once they’ve served their purpose is becoming just as much a part of how our industry is defined. Across the UK, more and more cafés, caterers and food retailers are rethinking the...
Japanese executives are sitting on a potential liquidity source worth hundreds of billions of dollars at precisely the moment when traditional financing channels are tightening. One study found that direct ownership in listed firms averages approximately 4% across the market, which would represent substantial total equity in companies capitalized at a total of $6.3 trillion as of February 2025. Yet these shareholdings remain largely locked up, even as borrowing costs climb and export revenues weaken....
Dr. Phyllis Pobee, M.D., is a triple board-certified physician and the Founder & CEO of GeneLean360°, a science-based weight loss company helping women transform their health through genetics and cellular insight. Based in Toronto, Canada, she is certified in Family Medicine, Aesthetic Medicine, and Obesity Medicine, and is the author of Lean Genes. Her journey began not in a lab, but in her own life. After years of doing “everything right” and still struggling with...
Paul Arrendell is a seasoned quality and engineering executive with more than 30 years of experience shaping the medical device and manufacturing industries. His career has spanned leadership roles at Abbott Diagnostics, Wright Medical, KCI Medical, and Becton Dickinson, where he developed global quality systems and regulatory strategies that improved product safety and efficiency across markets. A graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, Paul earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical...
The global wearables market is entering a new era, with smart glasses emerging as the standout growth category as traditional wrist-worn devices reach a more mature phase. According to Futuresource Consulting’s Global Wearables Market Outlook 2025, innovation is accelerating beyond the wrist, signalling a shift in how consumers interact with connected technologies. While global shipments of wrist-worn devices are still expected to grow—rising 4.8% in 2025 to nearly 210 million units, with retail value up...
Rachel Reeves is preparing to scale back the tax benefits available through the government’s popular cycle to work scheme, amid concern that high earners are exploiting the programme to buy luxury bicycles at the taxpayer’s expense. According to a report in the Financial Times, the Chancellor is expected to introduce a cap on the value of bicycles that can be purchased using salary sacrifice arrangements. The move is likely to be announced in the forthcoming...
Aston Martin has been pushed deeper into junk bond territory after Fitch Ratings downgraded the luxury carmaker’s credit score to ‘CCC+’, citing worsening cash flow, rising financial pressures and the impact of US tariffs on its largest market. The rating, cut from ‘B-’, reflects what Fitch described as “deteriorating liquidity” following materially weaker and negative free cash flow in the first nine months of 2026. The agency now forecasts a £400 million free cash flow...
A major new report from Sport England and 4Global has strengthened calls for the Government to increase support for gyms, swimming pools and public leisure centres in the forthcoming Autumn Budget, warning that the sector is delivering billions in social value despite operating under severe financial pressure. The annual Moving Communities report highlights the critical role these facilities play in improving national health and wellbeing, with public leisure centres contributing an estimated £3.63 billion in...
