Western Morning News

British manufacturers have urged the government to ensure that small and medium-sized businesses are major beneficiaries of the UK’s rising defence spending by embedding legally binding offset agreements in future military procurement contracts. Ahead of the release of the government’s revised Defence Industrial Strategy, MakeUK Defence — the trade bodyContinue Reading

Two of Britain’s largest bioethanol producers have issued stark warnings that a recent UK-US trade deal could trigger site closures and significant job losses across the sector, unless the government intervenes with targeted support. The concerns centre on the removal of a 19 per cent tariff on US ethanol importsContinue Reading

More than two thirds (68 per cent) of leaders of small and medium-sized businesses believe that their company is resilient after weathering the recent storms brought on by external events. The annual American Express Business Barometer found that this sense of resilience was matched by growing optimism. Almost three quartersContinue Reading

Almost half of UK employers have seen increased staff turnover as a result of delaying pay rises for professionals and white-collar workers, according to new research from global talent solutions consultancy Robert Walters. In a survey of UK business leaders, 47% admitted that postponed or reduced salary reviews had ledContinue Reading

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK are showing remarkable resilience by prioritising employee welfare and environmental sustainability, despite mounting economic pressures, according to new research by Purbeck Insurance Services. As inflation and the cost of living continue to strain households and businesses alike, over half (51%) of SMEsContinue Reading