I worry for our rural economy – and yes, it’s personal
There’s a particular sound that stays with you once you’ve lived in the English countryside. Not birdsong, that’s too obvious, but the deeper rhythm of things: the tractor coughing into…
business_news
AI helps hospitals tackle A&E bottlenecks as NHS rolls out demand-forecasting technology
Hospitals across England are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to ease pressure on accident and emergency departments, as a new AI-powered forecasting tool is deployed to help predict when demand…
Tories press Labour over Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged role in RBS commodities sale
The government is facing renewed political pressure to disclose whether Jeffrey Epstein played any role in discussions surrounding the sale of a taxpayer-backed commodities business during Labour’s last period in…
Anti-fraud crackdown triggers sharp fall in new company registrations
New anti-fraud rules introduced at Companies House have led to a sharp drop in the number of new companies being registered in the UK, according to early data, as ministers…
Net zero isn’t a luxury: why UK business must keep its nerve in 2026
Let’s be absolutely candid: the siren song of easing off climate commitments is tempting the corporate class and it stinks. If 2025 was indeed the year business quietly began retreating…
Rise of the supertour leaves Britain’s grassroots music venues fighting for survival
For many music fans, 2025 will be remembered as the year Oasis returned. Their long-awaited reunion tour dominated the summer, reviving bucket hats, Britpop nostalgia and generating more than £300…
Business is ‘right to be worried’ by Reform UK, warns Labour’s Liam Byrne
British businesses are right to be concerned about the rise of Reform UK and should demand far tougher scrutiny of the party’s economic plans, according to Liam Byrne, the Labour…
Low and no-alcohol beer breaks records as Britain’s drinking habits shift
Brits are on track to drink more than 200 million pints of low and no-alcohol beer this year, marking a record milestone that underlines a profound shift in the nation’s…
Britons getting poorer – report
The UK’s growth in GDP per capita is set to trail most G7 nations, a think tank’s analysis shows High inflation and low growth will further the decline in UK…
Starmer set to align UK with tougher EU net zero targets under electricity market talks
Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to push Britain into significantly stricter net zero commitments as part of negotiations to rejoin the EU’s internal electricity market, a move that has triggered…