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Britain's pound, stocks and bonds fall on political uncertainty, global inflation angst
British government bonds, stocks and sterling fell on Friday, as domestic political uncertainty clashed with global worries about an inflationary shock, leaving UK assets in the mire.
Britain Politics
Britain's newly appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care James Murray leaves 10 Downing Street in London, Friday, May 15, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Britain Politics
Britain's newly appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care James Murray leaves 10 Downing Street in London, Friday, May 15, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Chartbook 449: Voldemort on Threadneedle street. The Bank of England and the "haunted house" of English politics.
Imagine the scene: In some Harry Potter version of 21st-century London, a group of deathless UK Treasury officials gathered from across the last century huddle over warm pints and glasses of Chardonnay. Around the table there are officials from the 1920s, the 1930s, the 1970s, 2022 and today. Inevitably, in May 2026, the subject of conversation is the disintegration of the current Labour government. Despite its huge majority in parliament, it has been reduced to tatters by catastrophic local election result. These exposed the fact that rather than having a government with a clear popular majority, the UK is like most other modern societies divided into 5 segments each of which commands between 26 and 16 percent of the vote. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the leadership at Nos 10 and 11 Downing Street - where the Prime Minister and the Chancellor (Treasury Secretary) work - seem paralyzed. They are caught between mounting discontent over unfairness and the cost of living, and tough fiscal strictures that push them into making unpopular spending decisions. In the London pub, the Treasury officials from across the ages, can barely hide their satisfaction at the latest display of democratic politics caught in the vice-grip of financial logic. “Remember the mur d’argent and the banker’s ramp?” “Just like yesterday!” There are smirks around the table. Then the representative of 2026 pipes up: “One thing you have to say about the current lot (referring to the latest hapless Labour government), you don’t have to teach them about the bond market!” There is a murmur of ascent from the Treasury Mandarins. The trauma of the fiscal crisis of September-October 2022 sits deep. Back then, in the final stages of Tory decay, a ‘mini budget’ that challenged fiscal orthodoxy led to a brief but fierce panic in one of the oldest government bond markets in the world (aka gilt market). Now all you have to do is to mention the “bond market” to hush debate. [ Paul Mason@paulmasonnews In the name of public service, and as ex-economics editor of BBC Newsnight, I offer to do a zoom call, tonight, with any Labour MP who wants to understand why bond markets do not "fall into line" with governments. 1/ 3:57 PM · May 12, 2026 · 466K Views 224 Replies · 674 Reposts · 3.93K Likes ](https://x.com/paulmasonnews/status/2054229532404519082?s=20) “And the funny thing is”, the young man in the huddle continues, “they don’t even want to talk about … ”. There is a sudden hush. Significant looks are exchanged around the table. About? One of the senior figures puts down his glass with a decisive “clink”. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has entered their thoughts. Meanwhile, a few miles away in a grubby pub in Bloomsbury, two conspirators from the camp of Critical Macrofinance huddle over cans of low-alcohol IPA. They look at each other and blurt out loud: “The Bank!” “Everyone in the bloody Labour party is talking about the bond market. But why aren’t they even mentioning … the Bank of England!?” “Why is no one talking about Voldemort?” In Paul Mason’s blogpost, after much chest-thumping about basic fiscal logic, the basic point about the Bank of England is buried in the fine print at #3 in his list of suggestions as to what a radical Labour government might actually be able to do! [ Conflict & Democracy Down with the bond market! Down with gravity! It may seem unfair to focus on Labour MP Paula Barker for her off-the-cuff assertion that the bond market would have to “fall in line” with Andy Burnham, should he replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. But Burnham himself told the New Statesman that Labour had to “get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets… Read more 2 days ago · 100 likes · 3 comments · Paul Mason ](https://htsf.substack.com/p/down-with-the-bond-market-down-with?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Back in Bloomsbury they shake their heads and ask: “Didn’t we learn anything from the Eurozone crisis?” Meanwhile, as if summoned to the conversation by some higher force, the “pink pages” announce: “The days of ultra-cheap government borrowing have come to an end” and Martin “Whizzard” Wolf publishes the graph of the season Look at the UK in 2026, perilously positioned on the upper edge of the pack. No wonder no one in London needs any lessons about the “bond market”. But, look again. Imagine how they feel in Rome. What is London’s nightmare in 2026? The nightmare is that you end up like Italy in the early 2010s during the Eurozone crisis. Once comfortably situated in the middle of the pack, watching with horror as your ten-year yields explode to 7 percent and “spreads” become a national nightmare. One of the largest economies in Europe, a founding member of the euro, stigmatized. But the message of the Italian experience is ambiguous. After all, the stigma didn’t last. In 2026, Italy borrows at rates lower not only than the UK but the US. The US, which, as everyone knows, enjoys the “exorbitant privilege” of being the issuer of reserve, safe asets. What kind of magic is this? How did Italy, in the space of fifteen years, go from being good, to bad and back again? Which brings us back to our dissident friends in their Bloombury boozer and their memories of the Eurozone crisis. Italy never was Britain - with its ongoing fiscal deficits. Without interest payments, on primary balance, from 2000 to 2020 Italy ran a tight fiscal ship. Even in 2008 it barely went into deficit and when it was being put on the rack in the early 20210s its primary surplus matched that of austere Germany. So, what happened? How did it end up stigmatized? Of course Italian politics didn’t help. Berlusconi was at the helm and he had legal issues. But amongst friends in the Bloomsbury pub, Berlusconi is a sideshow, the name we whisper to each other is “Trichet”. From 2004 to 2011 the ECB was headed by Jean-Claude Trichet, ex of the French Treasury, more German than the Germans. After 2009 as the news of the Greek fiscal disaster broke, the European bond markets wento into panic mode and Trichet began a brutal game of cat and mouse. Between 2009 and 2011, Trichet intervened in the bond market to help, only when he thought he had compliance with austerity. When he thought they were uncooperative, he withdrew. In the summer of 2011, he even made direct suggestions to his Italian counterparts in Rome, as to how Italy should be governed. It was this cat and mouse game that drove the bond markets crazy and exposed Italy to a violent squeeze. When Mario Draghi took over the ECB at the end of 2011 and declared “whatever it takes”, the pressure on Italy, gradually eased. It is that starring role that has made Draghi into the towering figure in European politics that he remains today. So now you see why voices in London hush when it comes to the Bank of England. “The bond market” isn’t an irresistible objective force like the weather or an avalanche. It can appear like that. But that depends on the way it is being handled, or not handled by the central bank. Which is why the silence about the Bank of England in London right now is so significant. If you think this all sounds a bit fishy, coming from a left-liberal Keynesian like myself, well, let me introduce you to Robin Brooks, who, to put it mildly, plays on a different quidditch team to me. Here, from the position of a fiscal hawk is Robin’s celebratory account of the Bank of England’s role since 2022; In October 2022, at the height of the bond market blow-up in the UK, something incredible happened. Governor Andrew Bailey told British pension funds the Bank of England would end its support program for the country’s fragile gilt market, drawing a line under how much help the central bank was willing to give to exposed pension funds and - implicitly - the government. By the end of that week, Kwasi Kwarteng - the finance minister - had resigned. Prime Minister Liz Truss would soon follow. This episode is so incredible because it contrasts with what happened in the Euro zone earlier that year. Bond markets in Spain and Italy were under pressure amid high inflation and rising interest rates. In the middle of this, Mario Draghi - Italy’s Prime Minister - resigned, compounding pressure on bond markets of high-debt countries on the Euro periphery. Unlike the Bank of England, the ECB caved. It bought Italian and Spanish government bonds in an effort to cap yields and introduced a new tool that signaled to markets it might do such caps more frequently going forward. Faced with pressure on bond markets, the ECB capitulated to political pressure from high-debt countries like Italy and Spain. The Bank of England stood its ground and toppled the Truss government. This kind of thing has long-lasting consequences. It means markets price a higher probability of yield caps in the Euro zone, which keeps Italian and Spanish yields artificially low, while markets feel free to push up UK yields without fear of central bank intervention. As I flagged in yesterday’s post, this means you really can’t compare UK yields to those of other high-debt countries. The UK looks worse, but only because its central bank isn’t interfering with markets. There’s more to this than just that 2022 episode. The Bank of England has also been much more aggressive in its quantitative tightening (QT) than other central banks. If one motivation for quantitative easing (QE) is to lower bond yields - especially longer-dated ones - then it stands to reason QT pushes yields up. The left chart above shows a four-quarter moving average of UK government debt issuance (black line) in percent of GDP and which sectors absorb this issuance, including the Bank of England (blue bars). The right chart above compares the Bank of England’s accumulation or run-off of government bonds (blue line) with that of other central banks, where this blue line is the same as the blue bars in the left chart. The Bank of England was quicker and more aggressive than other central banks in downsizing its bond holdings, so UK yields will have risen more than elsewhere also for this reason, not just because of Governor Andrew Bailey’s remarks in October 2022. Back in October 2025, after a conversation in New York with friends in British politics, my sense of dysphoria was such that I raised the issue of the Bank of England openly in the FT Since 2008, the UK has slid into a deep economic and political predicament. Growth has stagnated to a degree far worse even than in the 1970s. The Tory leadership’s wager on the Brexit referendum spectacularly backfired, leaving the UK isolated from Europe and at the mercy of its special relationship with the US, many of whose political class regard the UK as a basket case. After years of austerity, the Labour party lurched to the left and then back to the centre. The Tory party has been eclipsed by the populist nationalism of Reform. Any British government should be worrying first and foremost about how to restart growth. Instead, Keir Starmer is beset by shades of the gilt market panic triggered by the Liz Truss government in 2022. The debt level is higher than in recent years, but there is no cause for panic. UK debt is at far from critical levels and of long duration. Whether you want to “take back control” or launch progressive economic policy, a democracy dogged by fear of bond market vigilantes is unhealthy. In a country that is a monetary sovereign, this climate points to one thing: a disconnect between the government and the central bank. Since 1997, the independence of the Bank of England has become a sacred cow. But independence is what you make of it. And in the wake of the gilt market crisis of September 2022, relations between the Bank of England and the UK government need a reset. In normal times, there is no doubt that an inflation-targeting independent central bank can serve a country well. But since 2008, the UK and other advanced economies have not had the luxury of such simple problems. To their credit, central bankers around the world have not stood on orthodoxy. After 2008, the US Federal Reserve rescued the global banking system and, through quantitative easing, it stabilised the Treasury market in the face of huge deficits. In Europe, things were trickier. Both the Bank of England under Mervyn King and Jean-Claude Trichet’s European Central Bank played cat and mouse with national governments. This was a high stakes wager that between 2010 and 2012 escalated bond market tension and triggered a disastrous turn to austerity. Shaken by the impact of those shocks, their successors, Mark Carney and Mario Draghi adopted a more protective stance (assuming you were not the government of Greece). Recall that Draghi’s legendary slogan, “Whatever it takes”, was uttered to face down the City of London’s bond vigilantes. In 2015, Draghi launched QE — financial repression by another name. In 2016, Carney used the authority of the Bank of England to stabilise markets following the vote for Brexit, an exemplary demonstration of how central banks can underpin democratic choice, even when those choices are wrong headed. All these were independent central bankers steeped in the best practice of the 1990s, who recognised that historic crises demanded radical action. It was the price surge of 2021-2023 that poisoned the atmosphere. Though the shock came mainly from the supply side, central banks ended up in the dock. Nowhere more so than in the UK. The Bank of England reacted with aggressive normalisation. Faced with a cost of living crisis, the governor called for workers to accept real wage cuts. In early 2022, as gas prices were at record levels and Russia’s army was poised to invade Ukraine, the Bank adopted a stringent programme of quantitative tightening, elevating interest rates. When the Truss government got itself in trouble, the Bank took almost a week to come to the rescue. Rather than enacting a charade of normality, it is time to recognise that in 2025 the UK faces a period of historic transition. To meet this challenge, what is needed is a new concordat with the Bank. This should not ignore inflationary pressures or the long-run trajectory of debt, but should affirm the priority of reviving investment-led growth. One could follow Donald Trump in demanding interest rate cuts. The Bank could shadow the ECB in its commitment to capping Eurozone yields. But the top priority should be to lay the ghost of September 2022. The Bank’s slowing of QT last month was a concession. An immediate and complete end would send the right signal. Such a concordat will not by itself restore sanity to politics, solve the housing problem or rebuild the NHS. But it would help to lift the fear of bond market crisis, which is paralysing the effort by democratic politicians to answer the fundamental questions facing the nation. Now, that call for a new concordat between government and Bank of Englands seems more urgent than ever. The problem is that in October 2025, Starmer still had some authority. Today the government is in tatters. And when you are the “under the harrow” - to echo a phrase of Montagu Norman’s from the 1920s - it is the worst possible time to consider institutional change. To make general arguments at a time of crisis can only seem like special pleading rather than a general argument for long-term change. The same, unfortunately, is also true for the other basic institutional reform that Britain urgently needs i.e. the abolition of the out-dated first past the post electoral system and its replacement by a moderated form of proportional representation. And thirdly - whilst we are saying the quiet parts out loud - Britain needs to reopen the question of EU membership. What the local election results of 2026 show is that this remains a key issue. And what they also show is that there is a clear majority that would favor a return. Until these basic features of Britain’s political economy are addressed the country will carry on its politics as though in a haunted house, governed by governments that lack actual majorities, conjuring up false constraints whilst ignoring the real ones. This one is for DG and MI. I love writing the newsletter. If you enjoy it too and fancy buying me a coffee once a month, you know what to do. Click below! Subscribe
Opinion | Keir Starmer and the End of Britain’s Old Certainties
The decade since Brexit has been one long, painful process of trying — and failing — to make sense of this new reality.
Britain Politics
Eva Pavlova, First Lady of the Czech Republic, arrives for a reception for the delegation from the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen Global Platform, hosted by Victoria Starmer, wife
U.K. and French Unions Join Forces to Protest Long Hours in Entertainment Industry
Britain's Bectu and sister unions in France have launched a joint campaign to highlight “unsustainable” working hours in the film and TV industries.
U.K. and French Entertainment Unions Join Forces to Protest Long Hours
Britain's Bectu and sister unions in France have launched a joint campaign to highlight “unsustainable” working hours in the film and TV industries.
UK health secretary resigns, creating a potential power struggle with PM Keir Starmer
Health Secretary Wes Streeting became the first senior minister to quit Starmer ’s Cabinet on Thursday in what is expected to be a precursor to challenging his leadership.
Britain Politics
FILE - Britain's then Heath Secretary Wes Streeting gestures as he speaks during the annual Labour Party conference in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super, File)
Pound dips as political crisis engulfs Britain
The pound dropped on Thursday, as a political crisis in the UK escalated with the resignation of health minister Wes Streeting turning up the heat on Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
UK opens antitrust probe into Microsoft's business software
Britain on Thursday launched an antitrust investigation into Microsoft's dominance in business software that could lead to targeted action if the U.S. company is found to have "strategic market status" in the sector.
Britain Politics
Peter Mandelson, the former U.K. ambassador to the United States, walks past the Ministry for Health in London, Thursday, May 14, 2026.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
European markets to open higher as politics dominates the news agenda
European stocks are expected to open higher Thursday as investors keep an eye on developments in the U.K. and U.S. President Donald Trump's trip to China.
Britain Politics King's Speech
Britain's King Charles III salutes to members of the Guards marching after the State Opening of Parliament at Buckingham Palace in London, Wednesday, May 13, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Britain Politics King's Speech
Britain's King Charles III, center, and Queen Camilla, background right, walk up the stairs at the Norman Porch the State Opening of Parliament, in London, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (Suzanne
Britain Politics King's Speech
Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive for State Opening of Parliament, in London, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (Suzanne Plunkett/Pool Photo via AP)
UK health minister Streeting preparing to resign, Times says
Britain's health minister Wes Streeting is preparing to resign and could quit as early as Thursday, the Times reported on Wednesday, adding that he is likely to mount a formal challenge for the party leadership.
Britain Politics King's Speech
The Imperial State Crown arrives at the Sovereign's Entrance for the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords, in London, Wednesday May 13, 2026. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via
APTOPIX Britain Politics King's Speech
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and wife Victoria leave 10 Downing Street to attend the State Opening of Parliament at the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, May 13, 2026.(AP
Britain Politics King's Speech
General view at the Chamber of the House of Lords before the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster in London, Wednesday, May 13, 2026.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, Pool)
Britain Politics
Britain's Health Secretary Wes Streeting arrives in Downing Street for a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, Wednesday, May 13, 2026.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Draper brings Murray into coaching team
Britain's Jack Draper brings Andy Murray into his coaching team for the grass-court season after parting company with Jamie Delgado.
Britain Politics
TV presenters report from Downing Street in London, Tuesday, May 12, 2026 as Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing the biggest threat yet to his authority after a growing
Britain Politics
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy leaves after a cabinet meeting in Downing Street, London, Tuesday, May 12, 2026 as Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer is
Britain Politics Starmer
FILE - This photo combination shows, from left, Wes Streeting in Liverpool, Sept. 30, 2025, Angela Rayner in Shoreditch, London, June 5, 2025, Andy Burnham in Liverpool, Sept. 29, 2025,
The Latest: Starmer Fights for Political Survival as Calls for His Resignation Grow in UK
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is fighting for his political survival after a disastrous set of results in local elections for his Labour Party last week. Dozens of Labour lawmakers are calling on Starmer to resign. A resignation announcement could possibly come after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday,
Britain Politics
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband arrives for a cabinet meeting in Downing Street, London, Tuesday, May 12, 2026 as Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Britain Politics
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed arrives for a cabinet meeting in Downing Street, London, Tuesday, May 12, 2026 as Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer
The Night When Britain Joined Continental Europe’s Political Culture
Despite Brexit, the UK's political landscape now mimics many EU countries. UK establishment media and politicians have no idea what's next.
UK PM Starmer battles for political survival in pivotal speech as gilt yields rise
Starmer is expected to say that key issues of growth, defense, the U.K.'s relationship with Europe and energy must be urgently addressed.
Starmer, fighting for his political life, pledges to bring Britain closer to Europe
The prime minister plans to use a speech on Monday to argue that he will “face up to the big challenges” and restore “hope” to the country.
Britain Has Entered a New Era of Multiparty Politics. It’s Messy.
A voting system created when two parties dominated is being tested by the rise of newer competitors.
Britain's JD Sports says Nike's Hill 'doing a great job'
Nike CEO Elliott Hill got a vote of confidence from one of its largest customers, British sportswear retailer JD Sports , whose boss said on Thursday he was "doing a great job".
Restore Britain: is new far-right party a threat to Farage?
Rupert Lowe’s upstart outfit could cost Reform UK crucial votes or drag it even further to the right
‘Starmer’s referendum’: How local elections could expose a fractured UK
Thursday’s polls could deliver a sharp setback for Labour, with Reform UK and the Greens expected to gain, analysts say.
Princess Eugenie and her husband announce they are expecting their 3rd child
Britain’s Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, announced Monday that they are expecting their third child. Buckingham Palace says Eugenie, the younger daughter of the former Prince...
Britain enters the era of seven-party politics
Labour and the Conservatives combined account for barely a third of voters in polls — threatening the UK’s constitutional certainties
Business Lookahead: Eyeing oil, US jobs, and European earnings
STORY: From high oil prices and the conflict in the Middle East to U.S. jobs data and corporate earnings, here’s what you need to watch in business and finance in the week ahead.:: Crude and currencyOil prices briefly topped $120 a barrel this week to hit their highest level since 2022 as the war with Iran enters a third month.While the U.S. and Iran face pressure to end a conflict that has shut the Strait of Hormuz, the world watches anxiously as the biggest-ever disruption to energy supplies unfolds.For each week the Strait is closed, keeping oil elevated, the greater the economic risks via higher inflation or weak growth or, for some, both. Oil importer Japan just intervened to prop up a yen that has been weakened by the conflict.A new month is now underway and some traders will be mindful of that old adage, "Sell in May and go away.":: Jobs gyrationsAs the U.S. economy grapples with fallout from the Middle East war, Wall Street's radar turns to Friday's April monthly payrolls report.The U.S. economy likely created 73,000 new jobs, economists polled by Reuters forecast. In March, payrolls increased by 178,000, the most since December 2024, but that followed a sharp decline in February.The U.S. employment data comes amid signs of hawkishness at the Federal Reserve, as Donald Trump pick Kevin Warsh prepares to take over as chair with the U.S. president keen on rate cuts.:: Starmer’s statusThursday's local elections in Britain, usually a non-event for investors, could move markets in a big way, with opinion polls pointing to a heavy defeat for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party.A heavy defeat could spark more widespread demands for his dismissal among his own lawmakers and stoke expectations of a successor more willing to run looser budgets. That would bring more bad news for British bonds.::European earningsIt's a big week for European earnings with Shell and Commerzbank among those reporting.On aggregate, profits are expected to grow 3.2% in Q1, according to LSEG I/B/E/S. Under the surface, it's a little bit more complicated. Growth is expected to be driven by just three sectors: financials, tech and energy. The latter is seen as the biggest beneficiary of the Iran war due to higher oil and gas prices.But if the war, and energy surge, persist, the overall outlook for Europe's earnings could turn.
Charles tamed Trump while rebuking Trumpism in ego-flattering masterstroke
King skillfully appeals to Republicans fond of Britain and Democrats anxious about rules-based order in state visit
Will King Charles' visit clear tensions in US-UK friendship?
King Charles III has won praise for his deft diplomacy and dealings with President Donald Trump in his visit to the United States. Is it enough?
WATCH LIVE: House expected to vote on extending divisive U.S. spy powers
Who was invited to dinner with King Charles: Justices, business leaders and Palm Beach friends
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump hosted a white-tie dinner at the White House with King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
King Charles to address Congress as U.S.-British ties face rare strain
The king's address, the centerpiece of a four-day state visit, comes at a moment of unusual strain between Washington and London.
Timeline: The highs and lows of the US-UK ‘special relationship’
Tensions between the allies punctuate King Charles's US visit, designed to strengthen the UK-US partnership.
Britain Politics
Richard Tice, Deputy Leader of Reform UK poses with campaigner Joseph Afrane as Reform UK holds a 'national fuel tax protest' to protest against the Government's plans to raise fuel
Britain Politics
A campaigner with a Pinocchio puppet as Reform UK holds a 'national fuel tax protest' to protest against the Government's plans to raise fuel duty for the first time in
People in UK spend fewer years in good health than a decade ago, study finds
Exclusive: Health Foundation says Britain is ‘going backwards’ compared with most other rich countries
Trump calls King Charles a 'fantastic man' amid strained US-UK relations
In a phone interview with the BBC, Trump heaped praise on the British monarch amid strained US-UK relations and the upcoming royal state visit.
Virginia Evans and Susan Choi are among 6 finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction
Four debut novelists are among the six finalists for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction, announced Wednesday | Newsradio 1140 WRVA
Virginia Evans and Susan Choi are among 6 finalists for the Women's Prize for Fiction
Four debut novelists are among the six finalists for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction, announced Wednesday | 830 WCCO
UK bans a generation of children from smoking: How it works
The legal age to buy tobacco products will rise by one year, every year, from 2027.
Worst-run state? In Britain, Steve Hilton was inspired by California
Steve Hilton's sudden rise in California politics comes a decade and a half after he pitched the U.K. Conservative Party with a very different idea: Britain could learn a lot from the Golden State.
Britain's JD Sports says chairman Higginson to step down
British sportswear retailer JD Sports Fashion said on Wednesday its chairman Andrew Higginson will step down from the role in July.
Britain Politics
Britain's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn leaves after a cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Tuesday, April 21, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Britain Politics
Britain's Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting, from left, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Emma Reynolds, and Secretary of State for Culture,
Britain Politics
Baroness Smith leaves after a cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Tuesday, April 21, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Britain Politics
Britain's Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy arrives for a cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Tuesday, April 21, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Britain Politics
Britain's Minister of State Anna Turley arrives for a cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Tuesday, April 21, 2026.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Life jacket worn by a passenger who survived the Titanic auctioned off for over $900,000
A life jacket worn by a passenger on the RMS Titanic has sold at auction for 670,000 pounds, which is more than $900,000 | WWJ Newsradio 950
Starmer rejects calls to quit as pressure mounts over Mandelson vetting
Top Foreign Office official takes fall for fiasco and resigns; Starmer promises to deliver 'relevant facts' on Monday.
Pressure builds as Starmer rejects calls to resign over Mandelson appointment in Epstein fallout
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has no plans to resign over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as U.K. ambassador to Washington, despite Mandelson failing security checks.
Senior British official resigns over Mandelson appointment, but Starmer insists he won't go
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has no plans to resign over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as U.K. ambassador to Washington, despite Mandelson failing security checks | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM
New discovery solves mystery of the location of Shakespeare's London house
A newly discovered 17th-century map sheds light on William Shakespeare's life in London | Talk 1370
UK fund major L&G aims to double Asia business, CEO says
Britain's biggest asset manager Legal & General aims to double its assets under management in Asia to around $500 billion amid its push to grow its international business, CEO Antonio Simoes told Reuters on Monday.
Ye postpones Marseille concert after French authorities say they will seek a ban
The rapper formerly known as Kanye West has postponed his upcoming show in Marseille | NewsRadio 1080 KRLD
Ye postpones Marseille concert after French authorities say they will seek a ban
The rapper formerly known as Kanye West has postponed his upcoming show in Marseille | KCBS All News 106.9FM and 740AM
Ye postpones Marseille concert after French authorities say they will seek a ban
The rapper formerly known as Kanye West has postponed his upcoming show in Marseille | 1010 WINS
Labour claims Reform UK won’t protect women, as poll suggests Farage’s party heading for ‘seismic’ wins in May
Poll projects major political earthquake across Britain with Labour losing Wales and England’s Red Wall
Trump warns US-UK trade deal ‘can always be changed’ with relations in ‘sad state’
President says he gave Britain ‘better deal than I had to’ but ally was ‘not there when we needed them’ on Iran
Prince Harry and Meghan arrive in Australia for a low-key, privately funded visit
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have begun their first Australian visit since their official royal tour in 2018 | KYW Newsradio
Prince Harry and Meghan arrive in Australia for a low-key, privately funded visit
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have begun their first Australian visit since their official royal tour in 2018 | 1010 WINS
Winners of the 2026 Olivier Awards celebrating work on the London stage
The Olivier Awards have recognized top achievements in London theater, opera, and dance for 2026." | Newsradio 1140 WRVA
Winners of the 2026 Olivier Awards celebrating work on the London stage
The Olivier Awards have recognized top achievements in London theater, opera, and dance for 2026." | WWJ Newsradio 950
Winners of the 2026 Olivier Awards celebrating work on the London stage
The Olivier Awards have recognized top achievements in London theater, opera, and dance for 2026." | KNSS Radio
Winners of the 2026 Olivier Awards celebrating work on the London stage
The Olivier Awards have recognized top achievements in London theater, opera, and dance for 2026." | Talk Radio 1210 WPHT
Winners of the 2026 Olivier Awards celebrating work on the London stage
The Olivier Awards have recognized top achievements in London theater, opera, and dance for 2026." | KCBS All News 106.9FM and 740AM
Winners of the 2026 Olivier Awards celebrating work on the London stage
The Olivier Awards have recognized top achievements in London theater, opera, and dance for 2026." | WWL
Winners of the 2026 Olivier Awards Celebrating Work on the London Stage
LONDON (AP) — The winners of the 2026 Olivier Awards handed out Sunday for achievement in London theater, opera and dance: New Musical: “Paddington The Musical” New Play: “Punch” New Entertainment or Comedy: “Oh, Mary!” Family Show: “The Boy at the Back of the Class” Revival: “All My Sons” Musical ...
Forza Horizon 4 Is Still Packed With Players On Xbox, And It's Easing The Wait For Horizon 6
One final lap of open-world Britain?
Cate Blanchett, Bryan Cranston and Paddington Bear are up for prizes at London's Olivier Awards
Cate Blanchett, Bryan Cranston and Paddington Bear are among the stars up for prizes at London’s Olivier Awards on Sunday | KCBS All News 106.9FM and 740AM
Cate Blanchett, Bryan Cranston and Paddington Bear are up for prizes at London's Olivier Awards
Cate Blanchett, Bryan Cranston and Paddington Bear are among the stars up for prizes at London’s Olivier Awards on Sunday | 830 WCCO
BAFTA apologizes again for racial slur scandal amid review results
BAFTA Board of Trustees says it is 'determined to learn from what happened' in the racial slur scandal that overshadowed its annual awards celebration in February.
Japanese prime minister Takaichi thrilled by Deep Purple's visit to her office
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took a short and happy break Friday as she hosted legendary British rock band Deep Purple in Tokyo as a longtime admirer | K-DAWN
Japanese prime minister Takaichi thrilled by Deep Purple's visit to her office
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took a short and happy break Friday as she hosted legendary British rock band Deep Purple in Tokyo as a longtime admirer | KMBZ
Singer Delta Goodrem follows in Celine Dion’s footsteps to Eurovision
Singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, who is representing Australia at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, says she believes in the power of music | NewsRadio 1080 KRLD
Singer Delta Goodrem follows in Celine Dion’s footsteps to Eurovision
Singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, who is representing Australia at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, says she believes in the power of music | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM
Singer Delta Goodrem follows in Celine Dion’s footsteps to Eurovision
Singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, who is representing Australia at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, says she believes in the power of music | WWL
Singer Delta Goodrem follows in Celine Dion’s footsteps to Eurovision
Singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, who is representing Australia at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, says she believes in the power of music | KNX News 97.1 FM
Wireless Festival canceled after UK bars rapper Ye over antisemitic remarks
i e politics antisemitism hip-hop-and-rap entertainment fairs-and-festivals world-news general-news | WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM
U.K. blocks Kanye West from entering Britain to headline now canceled festival: What led to the ban
Kanye West was scheduled to headline Wireless Festival, one of the U.K.'s biggest music festivals, this summer.
Wireless Festival canceled after UK bars rapper Ye over antisemitic remarks
i e politics antisemitism hip-hop-and-rap entertainment fairs-and-festivals world-news general-news | 104.1 FM KMOX
UK government blocks rapper Ye from entering Britain to headline festival
i e bipolar-disorder antisemitism politics fairs-and-festivals world-news general-news entertainment | Talk Radio 1210 WPHT
Ye offers to meet Jewish community as his right to enter UK for festival is put under review
i e bipolar-disorder antisemitism politics fairs-and-festivals world-news general-news entertainment | KCBS All News 106.9FM and 740AM
Ye offers to meet Jewish community as his right to enter UK for festival is put under review
i e bipolar-disorder antisemitism politics fairs-and-festivals world-news general-news entertainment | Newsradio 1140 WRVA
Ye offers to meet UK Jewish community as calls mount for him to be ditched from Wireless Festival
i e bipolar-disorder hip-hop-and-rap entertainment antisemitism politics fairs-and-festivals world-news general-news | KCBS All News 106.9FM and 740AM
Ye offers to meet UK Jewish community as calls mount for him to be ditched from Wireless Festival
i e bipolar-disorder hip-hop-and-rap entertainment antisemitism politics fairs-and-festivals world-news general-news | KNX News 97.1 FM
Ye offers to meet UK Jewish community as calls mount for him to be ditched from Wireless Festival
i e bipolar-disorder hip-hop-and-rap entertainment antisemitism politics fairs-and-festivals world-news general-news | Talk 1370
Ye offers to meet UK Jewish community as calls mount for him to be ditched from Wireless Festival
i e bipolar-disorder hip-hop-and-rap entertainment antisemitism politics fairs-and-festivals world-news general-news | 1080 WTIC NEWSTALK