Rachel Reeves will deliver her Spring Statement on March 3, just over three months after her November Budget, in what is expected to be a lower-key fiscal event focused more on forecasts than fresh policy announcements. Unlike the autumn Budget, the Spring Statement is not expected to contain tax rises or major spending cuts. Reeves has pledged to limit significant fiscal changes to a single annual event, giving herself £21.7bn of headroom in November to...
More than half of young Britons are unable to name a single entrepreneur, according to new research that campaigners say highlights a worrying disconnect between the UK’s startup culture and the next generation. A YouGov survey conducted for Enterprise Britain found that 56 per cent of 18 to 25-year-olds could not name an entrepreneur, founder or chief executive. Among those who could, Richard Branson was the most frequently cited, named by 16 per cent of...
A new purpose-built workspace aimed at supporting Jersey’s growing community of founders and independent professionals will open its doors in Charing Cross this spring. House of Champions, located in a private courtyard in the centre of St Helier, has been designed as a flexible entrepreneurial hub with capacity for 40 members. The three-storey space blends traditional Jersey architecture with contemporary interiors, featuring exposed wooden beams, floor-to-ceiling windows and curated artwork intended to create a calm...
Violence and abuse against shop workers declined by a fifth last year, but retail leaders say crime levels remain far higher than before the pandemic and continue to pose a serious threat to staff safety. New figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic Solutions show there were 1,600 incidents of violence and abuse against retail workers every day in 2024/25, down from 2,000 daily incidents the previous year. That equates to around 590,000...
FedEx has launched legal action against the US government seeking a full refund of tariffs imposed under Donald Trump, after the US Supreme Court ruled last week that the levies had been introduced unlawfully. The case, filed in the US Court of International Trade, names the United States, US Customs and Border Protection and its commissioner Rodney Scott as defendants. FedEx did not specify the amount it is seeking to reclaim but said it is...
UK-based AI startup Enginuity has raised £500,000 in fresh funding to accelerate its mission of unlocking the estimated $1.58 trillion in underused global intellectual property. The round was led by Fuel Ventures, with participation from Symvan Capital and a group of angel investors. Founded by innovation specialist Richard Heggie, Enginuity uses multi-agent artificial intelligence to map patents and research assets against real-time market demand signals. The platform aims to help corporates, universities, R&D teams and...
As business leaders assess the most effective ways to remain competitive and in demand within a challenging marketplace, many set goals to secure certifications from the International Organization for Standardization. The ISO does not award these, but relies on external partners. These entities conduct audits to verify that certification bodies have established management systems. The Benefits of ISO Certification for Today’s Companies Becoming an ISO-certified business has numerous associated advantages. Because this designation indicates that...
Lamborghini has abandoned plans to launch a fully electric model, shelving its much-anticipated Lanzador in favour of expanding its plug-in hybrid line-up. Chief executive Stephan Winkelmann said demand for battery-powered supercars among the brand’s wealthy clientele was “close to zero”, warning that continued investment in EV development risked becoming “an expensive hobby”. The Lanzador, unveiled as an all-electric concept in 2023, was expected to form Lamborghini’s fourth EV project. Instead, it will now be replaced...
Brompton Bicycle has scaled back its US expansion and accelerated investment in China, as uncertainty over trade policy under Donald Trump reshapes its international strategy. The London-founded folding bike specialist closed its branded stores in New York and Washington last year when their leases expired. In contrast, it opened a new outlet in Shenzhen and doubled the size of its flagship Shanghai store following a major refurbishment. Will Butler-Adams, Brompton’s managing director, said the decision...
The government has announced a £4bn investment package aimed at transforming support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), but sector experts have cautioned that the funding risks being swallowed by mounting backlogs and growing demand. The package includes a £1.6bn Inclusive Mainstream Fund over three years, which will go directly to early years settings, schools and colleges to strengthen in-class support. A further £1.8bn will fund a new “Experts at Hand” service...
