Business & Economy

Published: 18 August 2025. The English Chronicle Desk Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly preparing to overhaul environmental safeguards in the UK in an effort to speed up infrastructure projects and stimulate economic growth. According to reports, Treasury officials are drafting new planning reforms aimed at reducing the influence of wildlife protections on development timelines. The proposed reforms would amend elements of European environmental regulations, which developers argue have delayed key...

Published: 18 August 2025. The English Chronicle Desk The average price of homes across Britain has fallen by more than £10,000 over the summer months, with a notable decrease recorded in August, according to recent data from property portal Rightmove. The average asking price for a property coming onto the market dropped by 1.3%, or £4,969, in August alone, settling at £368,740. This decline, while typical for the month historically,...

Published: 18 August 2025. The English Chronicle Desk The parliamentary standards watchdog has faced criticism after approving former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps to take a role as chair of Cambridge Aerospace, a defence-focused startup, on the condition that he avoids working on defence matters. The decision has drawn condemnation from political ethics experts, who argue that the advisory body’s ruling stretches credibility and highlights weaknesses in oversight. Shapps, a former...

Published: 16 August' 2025. The English Chronicle Desk, English Chronicle Online Alan Wilkinson, a retired resident of Whitmore Heath in Staffordshire, expressed his shock and dismay after discovering that the home he sold to HS2 for £1.2 million had been converted into a cannabis-growing operation. Mr. Wilkinson and his wife Gillian purchased their four-bedroom hillside property in the late 1970s, enhancing it with modern features including a swimming pool and...

Published: 16 August' 2025. The English Chronicle Desk, English Chronicle Online The UK government has extended its electric vehicle grant scheme, providing discounts on five additional car models as part of efforts to encourage a shift away from petrol and diesel vehicles. With the latest additions, 22 electric cars now qualify for grants, offering buyers price reductions of up to £1,500. The newly included models are the Cupra Born, Volkswagen...

Published: 13 August. the English Chronicle Desk. English Chronicle Online Beijing’s recent austerity measures targeting civil servants and Communist Party officials have sparked concerns among economists and business analysts over their potential impact on the Chinese economy. The updated regulations, released in May, prohibit more than 40 million civil servants from hosting lavish banquets and restrict overseas travel for personal leisure. While intended to curb corruption, experts warn that these...

Published: 12 August. The English Chronicle Desk New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal a continued slowdown in wage growth across the UK, with retail and hospitality sectors facing persistent job losses. Average weekly earnings rose by 4.6% in the three months to June, down from 5% in the previous period, while pay excluding bonuses maintained a 5% growth rate. Despite these increases, the overall picture suggests...

Published: 12 August — The English Chronicle Desk David Lammy, the UK Foreign Secretary, is under potential legal scrutiny over a controversial plan to embed staff from multinational corporations Shell and BAE Systems within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The proposal, aimed at fostering closer ties between government and business, has raised serious concerns among campaigners who warn that it risks improper influence and conflicts of interest within...

Published: 12 August — The English Chronicle Desk The UK’s labour market is feeling the effects of a prolonged economic slowdown, with employers pulling back on both bonuses and recruitment, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Data released on Tuesday revealed that while the official unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.7% in the three months to June—a four-year high—signs of weakening demand for labour...

Published: 11 August 2025. The English Chronicle Desk Students across England are set to receive A-level results this year that more closely reflect the pre-pandemic standards last seen in 2019, marking a significant milestone after years of disruption caused by Covid-19. For the first time since the onset of the pandemic, the grading pattern will align more traditionally with the national GCSE results these students attained two years prior, signaling...