As America Prepares to Strike, Starmer Says No — and the Special Relationship Wobbles The countdown may already have begun. As the United States masses overwhelming military force around Iran, President Trump has openly warned that if talks stall, action could follow within days. Aircraft carriers are in position, strike aircraft are forward-deployed, and airborne command systems are on the move. Against this backdrop, Britain has chosen a moment of maximum tension toContinue reading “War Clouds Over Iran — And Britain Risks Sitting on the Wrong Side of History”
Category Archives: Latest News
We’re Creating Businesses, Not Jobs – And Paying the Price on the High Street
Britain is starting businesses at a healthy clip, but it’s not creating jobs to match. New firms are launching at the fastest rate in two years, yet unemployment is climbing and staff numbers are shrinking. The reason is uncomfortable but clear: for many entrepreneurs, hiring people has become too risky and too expensive. Instead of taking on employees, businesses are turning to technology, freelancers and automation just to survive. The result is a growingContinue reading “We’re Creating Businesses, Not Jobs – And Paying the Price on the High Street”
Falling inflation does not mean falling pressure for the UK’s small & Micro Businesses
In this GB News interview on 18 February 2026, Liz Barclay warns that falling inflation does not mean falling pressure for the UK’s small and micro businesses. While the headline inflation rate has dropped to 3%, Liz explains that small firms are facing a very different reality. Their costs are driven by wages, rent, insurance, business rates and borrowing – many of which are still rising sharply. Some businesses are seeing double-digit increases inContinue reading “Falling inflation does not mean falling pressure for the UK’s small & Micro Businesses”
Good News for the Economy? Tell That to the Small Firms Barely Hanging On
Inflation Falls, Unemployment Rises – And Small Businesses Are Still Paying the Price On paper, this week’s economic figures look like progress. Inflation is easing, wages are rising and interest rates may soon fall. But for the UK’s 5.6 million small and micro businesses, none of this feels like recovery. Their costs are still climbing, hiring is becoming unaffordable, skills are harder to find and demand remains fragile. What the headline numbers mask isContinue reading “Good News for the Economy? Tell That to the Small Firms Barely Hanging On”
David Starves While Goliath Hoards the Cash
I had a distress call first thing yesterday morning. It came from a wonderful business adviser I know who cares passionately about the clients she works with. This one though, had her foxed. A small business with 8 employees and a full order book had run out of working capital. The huge household name business they supplied owes the small 8-person business money. That’s not unusual. Nor is there anything unusual about the factContinue reading “David Starves While Goliath Hoards the Cash”