Andy Burnham to cut VAT on electricity bills as first cost-of-living move
Electricity bills will be reduced by an average of £45 from October, after Andy Burnham announced the government would remove VAT from them.
Crime & Courts
UK government borrowing falls in June
The UK government borrowed slightly less than expected in June, according to official figures published as new prime minister Andy Burnham began setting out measures to cut living costs for households.
Thames Water investors offer ‘golden share’ in bid to head off nationalisation
The group of investors pursuing a rescue bid for Thames Water have offered the government a “golden share” in a last-ditch attempt to convince Andy Burnham not to nationalise Britain’s biggest water company.
UK military ‘eyes innovative electric flying taxi’ as 2029 launch planned
British flying taxi startup Vertical Aerospace has said the UK government has expressed interest in buying a military variant of its aircraft as it races to gain approval for flights with paying passengers.
JP Morgan boss warns of ‘consequences’ if Burnham taxes banks
The boss of JP Morgan, Jamie Dimon, has warned Andy Burnham against raising tax charges on banks, suggesting it could threaten plans to build its £3bn headquarters in London and drive investment away from Britain.
Not enough water for UK’s datacentre plans, trade body says
Industry says government’s failure to address cooling demands means AI growth plans are ‘fatally flawed’
UK employers cut job vacancies as Burnham aims to lift living standards
Employers cut the number of job vacancies in May, according to official figures that highlight the UK’s “fragile” economic outlook amid the conflict in the Middle East.
Donald Trump to impose 50% tariff on most Canadian goods, White House says
Turmoil likely as Trump officials say Canada unfairly discriminated against US autos, alcohol and dairy products
Healey made chancellor, Miliband named foreign secretary and Yvette Cooper becomes health secretary as Burnham picks cabinet – UK politics live
Burnham’s team were clear they want an experienced figure to deliver his vision for UK economy - combining fiscal responsibility with focus on re-industrialisation, devolution, cost of living crisis and driving growth.
Judge orders pause on Paramount-Warner merger after challenge from 12 states
A federal judge on Monday ordered Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery to halt their $81bn merger for at least two weeks, allowing states that are challenging the deal more time to see their case through in court.
‘My shirt was wringing’: National Express bus drivers speak out on 40C conditions
Bus drivers in the West Midlands have spoken out about the “horrendous” working conditions they have experienced during heatwaves, which led to 40C temperatures in their cabs.
Burnham promises help with your money. How could it affect you?
In his first speech as prime minister, Andy Burnham has promised to give people more "breathing space" to help with the cost of living.
European gas prices surge amid fears US-Iran war will cause winter shortages
European gas prices have hit a four-month high as the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East raises fears of supply shortages this winter.
Jeff Bezos and UK government invest in £2bn British startup CuspAI
Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, and the UK government have invested in a £2bn British artificial intelligence startup that is aiming to become the “search engine for rare materials” that accelerates the next wave of techn…
Prosper Capital LLP enters creditors’ voluntary liquidation
On 1 June 2026, Prosper Capital LLP (Prosper) went into creditors’ voluntary liquidation. Jeremy Karr and Simon Killick of BTG Begbies Traynor (Central) LLP were appointed as joint liquidators.
AliExpress fined record €550m by EU for failing to stop sale of illegal and fake goods
AliExpress, the Chinese online retail platform, has been fined a record €550m (£470m) by the EU over its failure to stop illegal goods including harmful clothing, cosmetics and kitchen gadgets being sold through its sit…
How Elephant and Castle risks becoming London’s gentrification ‘patient zero’
Diana Sach once employed more than 30 people and catered for hundreds more every day from her Latin American restaurant and delicatessen, famous for its Peruvian empanadas, in south London’s Elephant and Castle district.
Ryanair says its planes are safe after passenger nearly sucked out of window
Airline says it has been in touch with family of man nearly sucked out mid-flight and reports strong summer bookings after profits slump
PRA fines HDI Global SE £4,165,000 for inaccurate reporting of FSCS Liabilities and FSCS Fee Tariff data
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has imposed a financial penalty of £4,165,000 on HDI Global SE in connection with the submission of incorrect data to the PRA.
Retired UK civil servants failed by pension outsourcing, government says
Retired civil servants have been failed by the decision to outsource their pension scheme, the government has admitted, and the maladministration meant some were left waiting up to a year for payments.
Pay gap widens as UK bosses get 130 times average worker’s salary
The bosses of Britain’s largest listed companies received record pay last year, fuelling the widest earnings gap with workers in eight years.
Thames Water creditors seek talks with Burnham as nationalisation looms
The group of investors pursuing a rescue bid for Thames Water have said they are willing to discuss greater public control but are also preparing for a potential multi-billion pound legal battle amid reports that Andy B…
Fossil fuels, utilities and housing: what we know about Andy Burnham’s plans
Burnham has pledged to take more public control of key utilities such as water, a move that appears likely to begin with Britain’s largest water company, Thames Water.
Are money and soft power draining World Cup football of its magic? | Richard Partington
It’s almost all over. No more hydration breaks, no more obligatory pans of the TV cameras to Hollywood A-listers, or dread of the crushing inevitability of English disappointment. The Fifa World Cup 2026 is at an end, a…