British politician and current Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since 2025
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a 20% business rates reduction for nearly 32,000 pubs, clubs and live music venues in England from April 2027, a package the government says will save a typical pub about £1,100 a year and cost roughly £100m. Ministers are proposing to fund it by reviewing reliefs for vape shops and cracking down on online tax non-compliance.
The new British prime minister has announced measures to ease living costs, including a VAT cut on energy bills, a bus fare cap, and targeted relief for pubs and venues. The moves are designed to buy breathing space while officials assess funding for broader promises, with questions about how the measures will be financed.
Thames Water has disclosed a £1m signing-on payment to CFO Steve Buck in July, drawn from emergency lending, while retention payments for top bosses are being settled. The move comes as the company battles over £20bn debt and potential government intervention, with Ofwat and ministers weighing stronger rules.
The London & Valley Water consortium has proposed a slate of non‑executive directors for Thames Water to secure government backing for a rescue. The appointments include Liz Barber and Clive Selley, aimed at restoring governance and public trust as the government weighs nationalisation options.
The government has signalled it is exploring changes to the Special Administration Regime to enable public ownership of Thames Water, while ministers face legal and financial hurdles. Reports from The Guardian, The Mirror and Bloomberg indicate officials are weighing options to safeguard customers and reduce bills amid a debt-laden crisis.
The Conservative leader has reshuffled her shadow cabinet ahead of Parliament’s return, appointing Andrew Griffith as shadow chancellor and Claire Coutinho as shadow business secretary. Tom Tugendhat and Priti Patel shift roles; James Cleverly steps aside to pursue a London mayoral bid. The changes aim to strengthen the party’s economic team while inviting scrutiny over credibility.
Protests against migrant arrivals in Portsmouth have intensified after a small boat carrying about 140 people reached the port. Authorities have moved the migrants to Manston in Kent for processing, while protesters wearing black masks have blocked roads and police have issued a dispersal order.
The EFRA Committee has urged the government to trigger special administration for Thames Water, warning of a doom loop of fines and underinvestment. London & Valley Water is seeking an enhanced rescue proposal, while critics argue public control may be necessary. The debate centers on the company’s £20bn debt and the public impact of its turnaround.
The ONS has reported that public sector net borrowing reached £18.3bn in August, above City and OBR forecasts, leaving year‑to‑date borrowing at £77.3bn — £8.1bn higher than the Office for Budget Responsibility expected. Higher inflation and rising debt interest have pushed interest payments to record August levels and narrowed Chancellor John Healey’s fiscal headroom before the 28 October Budget.
The OECD has updated its global forecast, predicting UK growth of 1.1% in 2026 and 1% in 2027, with inflation easing to about 3.1% this year. It cautions that energy shocks from the Middle East war and higher fuel prices could lift inflation and slow growth next year, though the UK shows resilience in domestic demand.