5:57 am, July 8, 2026
Government should ‘think again’ over small business plans, says committee
Ministers have been told to ‘think again’ and reconsider the government’s ‘inadequate’ response to proposals to improve UK plans for small business growth.
An influential select committee urged government ministers to come back with a new response after raising concerns over intensifying pressure on small businesses in UK.
The committee claimed the response ‘restates pre-existing schemes and commitments’ and only fully accepts six out of 36 of the committee’s recommendations. It urged the government to bring forward a new response with stronger commitments within the next two months.
Hundreds of petrol stations probed for not reporting live prices – Rachel Reeves
Hundreds of UK petrol stations are being investigated for failing to report live price changes to a government system aimed at saving drivers money, Rachel Reeves has said.
The chancellor said the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has already issued hundreds of warning letters to businesses failing to meet legal requirements by not providing petrol prices to Fuel Finder, a government-run price comparison scheme.
It comes after Press Association analysis of data submitted to Fuel Finder revealed many sites have still not provided any petrol prices, despite this being mandatory for more than five months.
Polestar 4 set to gain family-friendly SUV variant
Polestar has announced that the popular 4 electric coupe will receive a new family-friendly SUV bodystyle.
Details on the 4 SUV are limited at this stage, though it will feature a taller roofline than the coupe, flush door handles and roof rails.
There are no images on the car’s interior, but the Swedish brand says ‘this new variant offers an added layer of flexibility and practicality, with versatile storage capabilities.’ Orders open on September 2.
The markets
London’s FTSE 100 nudged higher on Tuesday, outperforming European and US peers, despite fresh falls among technology stocks and renewed tension in the Middle East.
The FTSE 100 closed up 14.11 points, 0.1%, at 10,665.88. The FTSE 250 ended down 125.40 points, 0.5%, at 23,378.82, while the AIM All-Share fell 9.56 points, 1.2%, at 769.18.
The pound traded at 1.3376 dollars on Tuesday afternoon, up from 1.3354 on Monday. Against the euro, sterling firmed to 1.1704 euros from 1.1696 on Monday.
Farage by-election bid risks backfiring as main parties will not contest vote
Nigel Farage’s attempt to fight a ‘people versus the establishment’ by-election risks falling flat, with the major parties saying they will not contest the vote he has triggered.
The Reform UK leader said he would quit as an MP on Tuesday as he came under further scrutiny over his finances, saying that the voters in Clacton ‘should be the judges of my actions’.
But Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain have all said they will not stand candidates and accused Farage of seeking to distract from the probes he faces, meaning his only confirmed challenger so far is the satirical candidate Count Binface.
Starmer to unveil long-range missile deal as he meets leaders at Nato summit
The UK is set to lead a multi-billion-pound European drive to build the next generation of long-range missiles during Wednesday’s Nato summit in Turkey.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to unveil a 50 billion dollar (£37bn) commitment alongside a dozen European allies to build weapons capable of hitting targets up to 2,000km away with pinpoint accuracy.
So-called ‘deep precision strike’ missiles, including the British-made Storm Shadow, have proved crucial in the Ukraine war, allowing Ukrainian forces to hit targets far beyond the front line.
Tuesday on Car Dealer
New data shows battery repairs less common than many buyers fear
Battery failures are one of the biggest fears that put off potential used EV buyers, but new data shows this isn’t one of the most common warranty claims.
Smaller used car dealers under pressure as AA Cars sees rise in closures
AA Cars has seen a rise in dealer closures this year, with its national sales manager saying smaller independent sites are increasingly coming under pressure amid tighter margins and fierce competition for used stock.
Marshall announces it will open five new Lepas showrooms
Marshall Motor Group has announced it will open five Lepas showrooms, as the Chinese car maker continues to grow its network in the UK.
Mazda CEO drops in on Hendy Tunbridge Wells during UK visit
Mazda’s global president and CEO has completed a special tour of Europe, which included a stop-off at Hendy Group’s dealership in Tunbridge Wells.
Hyundai puts humanoid robot on World Cup stage in football first
Hyundai has become the first car maker to deploy a humanoid robot during a live FIFA World Cup match after using Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot in a half-time activation.
Weather
Warm sunshine will dominate today, with only patchy cloud lingering across northern and western Scotland, reports BBC Weather. Temperatures will climb widely, with another hot day in south-east England and increasing heat elsewhere. Highs of 32 in London and the Midlands.
Tonight stays dry and clear for most, although patches of dense mist and fog may develop in south-west England and Wales by dawn.
