Source: Sharecast
London's investment bankers, lawyers and accountants have made more than £1bn from a surge in takeover activity this year, The Guardian reported, fuelling criticism of high City pay during the cost‑of‑living crisis. M&A involving UK‑listed companies has jumped 175% in 2026 to £100bn, according to London Stock Exchange data, as overseas buyers continue to target undervalued British firms. Official filings suggest fees paid to advisers have topped £1.2bn, helping drive multimillion‑pound pay packets. The spree, driven by private equity cash and acquisitive US buyers, has intensified concerns about the future of London's stock market as more listed companies are taken private or bought by foreign groups.
Planning approvals for new homes have dropped to their lowest level in 13 years, undermining Labour's pledge to deliver a housebuilding revival, The Sunday Times reported. Just 214,515 homes received permission in the year to June 2026 - the weakest annual total since 2013 and down 8% year‑on‑year. Andy Burnham plans to respond with a new Help to Buy‑style scheme, Your First Home, aimed at helping young people onto the property ladder. Housing leaders welcomed the move, with Barratt Redrow chief executive Dean Banks saying a well‑designed equity loan scheme would boost confidence and support construction across all tenures.
Lime has strengthened its presence on UK streets after user numbers surged by almost a third last year, according to The Sunday Times. The number of Lime bikes and scooters in operation rose by 5,000 to 38,000, while monthly riders averaged more than 675,000 in 2025 - up 31% on the prior year. Newly filed accounts show pre‑tax profits climbed from £1.7m to £4.7m, with turnover rising from £111m to £148m. Lime's e‑vehicles now operate across seven UK cities, including London, Oxford and Nottingham.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has warned Labour against rejoining the EU customs union, arguing that doing so would not benefit the UK, The Telegraph reported. Speaking ahead of the Labour Party conference, Reynolds said Britain must avoid reopening debates about EU membership and risking a return to the "paralysis" of the Brexit years. Andy Burnham faces pressure from some Labour MPs and union leaders to revisit the party's red lines, while senior figures including Defence Secretary Wes Streeting have suggested the customs union should be considered to support growth. Reynolds, however, said he "does not see the strength" in the arguments for rejoining.
The Conservative Party plans to strip migrant criminals of British citizenship if they commit serious offences, according to The Telegraph. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said dual‑citizenship migrants who have lived in the UK for fewer than 15 years and receive prison sentences of five years or more would lose their citizenship under a Tory government. Philp added that the party aims to deport 40,000 foreign offenders a year - nearly seven times the current level - by lowering the threshold for removal to cover all but the most minor offences. "We must deport all foreign criminals - it’s that simple," he said.
Plans to build a third runway at Heathrow have been pushed back by four years, delaying the expected opening to 2039, The Independent reported. Senior executives at the airport have told the Government that the original 2035 target is no longer achievable. The setback comes as Labour's annual conference begins in Liverpool and represents a blow to Andy Burnham's ambitions to drive economic growth. The 2035 goal was set last January by then‑chancellor Rachel Reeves, who described it as highly ambitious. Reeves has since been succeeded by John Healey.
Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com