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Tom Kerridge says ‘whole of hospitality’ should get behind Burnham who has called for VAT cut from 20% to 10%Chefs and restaurateurs have said they hope Andy Burnham becomes prime minister after he backed calls to cut VAT tax for hospitality businesses.Burnham, who is standing as the Labour candidate in the Makerfield byelection and is expected to launch a challenge to Keir Starmer’s leadership if he wins, has called for the rate to be cut from 20% to 10% to be in line with European rates. Continue reading...

Insurer found 18,400 suspect claims last year with some scammers using AI to fake accident scenes and documentsBogus insurance claims worth more than £230m were detected by the insurance firm Aviva last year as scammers tried new tricks including using artificial intelligence to fake car accident scenes, documents and to exaggerate damage.The insurer identified more than 18,400 suspect claims across its brands in 2025, with a combined value of £233m. The fraud claims level was a record for the insurer, although this was the first year that it included the Direct Line brands it acquired last summer. Continue reading...

Report blames Middle East conflict and rising business costs for fragile jobs market and steep fall in recruitmentUK companies are increasingly hiring temporary workers instead of permanent staff because of low confidence in the economy and higher cost pressures, according to a report.Recruiters reported a strong increase in offers of temporary roles in May, according to new research from KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). Continue reading...

Britain’s debt rising at fastest rate in the world – bar Botswana  The TelegraphLabour Inherited the Fastest-Growing Economy in the G7 – Now Britain Faces One of the World's Fastest-Rising Debt Burdens  Conservative PostSunday newspaper round-up: IMF, Brexit, UK corporatism, M&S, social housing, EV tariffs, Ukraine, Iran  Sharecast.comAndrew Bailey: Bank of England won’t stop bond sales  The TimesLabour may need help from the IMF, economists warn  Yahoo Finance

The developer taking a multi-million-pound risk for Plymouth  Plymouth Live

North Staffordshire pub shuts with immediate effect  The Sentinel

Top chefs back Andy Burnham for prime minister to cut VAT on hospitality  The GuardianHospitality industry at breaking point, restaurant owner says  BBCEditor’s comment: VAT’s the Problem is a real chance to make a difference  The CatererFriday five: the week’s top stories  restaurantonline.co.uk100,000 sign petition for 10% hospitality VAT  Travel Daily Media

UK companies opting to hire temporary workers over permanent staff, recruitment firms say  The GuardianUK employers hiring more temps as staff costs rise  Financial TimesUK firms pause hiring as Iran war stings, REC survey shows  ReutersUK Jobs Slump Deepens as Starmer Woes Add to Headwinds, REC Says  Bloomberg.comUK Job Market Shifts, Mergers Loom Large, and Food Industry Clashes on Healthy Rules  Devdiscourse

Aviva detects record £230m in bogus insurance claims as use of AI rises  The GuardianCan you tell which photo has been doctored by AI?  The TimesAviva detects record £233M in fraud as AI tools and ghost broking accelerate  Insurance BusinessFake claims worth £233m discovered  PressReaderWarning to Brits posting car pics online - ignoring risks losing you £1,000s  The Sun

The UK government is launching a new AI growth project aimed squarely at dragging the UK’s billion-pound legal sector out of its “analogue” age. Ahead of London Tech Week, City AM can reveal that Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy will unveil ‘AI growth labs’, a regulatory safe space designed to cut through bureaucratic red tape [...]

Mablethorpe centre 'making a difference' to coastal community  BBC

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The UK’s services sector’s economic activity and performance declined sharply last month as fallout from the Iran conflict continues to impact businesses, according to new figures. According to data on the latest business trends from accountancy and advisory firm BDO, a drop in sales and fragile client confidence led to a drop in the services [...]

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