Keir Starmer has twice refused to rule out a rise in employers’ national insurance contributions in the budget, stressing Labour’s manifesto promise was that it would not raise taxes on working people. His words came as the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, gave a strong hint on Monday that the rise was in her sights at the…

Google has signed a “world first” deal to buy energy from a fleet of mini nuclear reactors to generate the power needed for the rise in use of artificial intelligence. The US tech corporation has ordered six or seven small nuclear reactors (SMRs) from California’s Kairos Power, with the first due to be completed by…

Rachel Reeves has dropped a broad hint that she plans to increase employers’ national insurance contributions as part of a package of measures in the budget. If the chancellor does go ahead with what is in effect a tax on jobs she will be doing so at a time when the labour market is clearly…

I cancelled my RAC membership last year, so I was surprised to receive an email recently that offered me “an extra year’s membership – completely free”. I rang to ensure the offer wasn’t a scam and was told that the year’s membership would, indeed, be free – unless I had a breakdown and required roadside…

Name: Landlines. Age: 148 years old. Appearance: A cable attached to your phone that’s tied to your house. I haven’t had a landline for years. Oh, you young whippersnapper! You’re really missing out. On what, exactly? On so much! Telling the caller your full telephone number when answering the phone, being trapped in a room…

The government has said its first international investment summit since Labour’s general election landslide has secured a total of £63bn of pledges to plough money into the British economy. The investments announced, which include the £63bn of private-sector promises as well as public investment, include: £6.3bn on datacentres, including a £1.9bn datacentre campus at Didcot…

Rail passengers could be entitled to compensation after Northern was accused of breaking its fare evasion rules to prosecute commuters. The train operator said on Monday all prosecutions of people accused of using a 16-25 railcard to obtain a discount at the wrong time of day were being withdrawn and thousands of previous cases reviewed.…

Sir Keir Starmer’s pro-business stance signalled to voters that Labour has shifted from the days of Jeremy Corbyn. However, expectations of a Labour government – equality, fairness, and social justice – remain. Voters wouldn’t be impressed by ministers arguing for freedom from regulations that protect against unscrupulous companies seeking to maximise profit at the cost of…

Ku Klux Klan members light torches. Now, some say, Bath & Body Works provided them candles to light, too. The retail chain recently released a candle, labeled “Snowed In”, that critics argued resembled the hoods and robes worn by the white supremacist group. After an outcry on social media, the company explained that the designers…

The rolling stock firm Porterbrook paid out £80m in dividends to its mainly overseas shareholders last year, accounts show, fuelling further calls for Britain’s trains to be nationalised. The firm’s train leasing arm made profits of £144m in 2023, when the railway was still beset by strikes over frozen pay and passengers faced widespread cancellations…