6:50 am, October 17, 2025
Chancellor facing further Budget challenges after muted economic growth
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been put under further pressure ahead of next month’s Budget after official figures showed muted growth in August following a surprise contraction in July.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.1% month-on-month in August and fell by 0.1% in July, in a revision to the previous estimate for no growth.
In the three months to August, GDP grew by 0.3% compared with 0.2% growth in the three months to July, the ONS said.
Proposed changes to business rates ‘risk slowdown’ in investment
BT has warned that expected changes to business rates at next month’s Budget could cost infrastructure firms an extra £400m each year and ‘risk a slowdown’ in investment.
The telecoms giant and Openreach owner is the latest UK business to warn that it could be hit by proposed changes to commercial property taxes, which are expected to come into force next year.
Supermarket retailers, airports and office firms have already urged the Government to step back from potentially increasing their tax payments from next year.
Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 models become eligible for government’s Electric Car Grant
Volkswagen has announced that the ID.4 and ID.5 electric SUVs are now eligible for the government’s Electric Car Grant scheme.
The ECG is an incentive which allows electric car buyers to save up to £3,750 off an EV that is priced under £37,000. But, the car and company must meet certain criterias to receive the full discount.
Both electric SUVs will sit in band two, which means that customers can save up to £1,500 off each model. The ID.4 range will now start at £35,495, while the ID.5 comes in at £36,995, making them a lot more affordable.
FTSE 100 closes higher despite sluggish economic growth
Blue chips in London nudged higher on Thursday despite sluggish economic growth in August and a 10% drop for Premier Inn owner Whitbread.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 11.34 points, 0.1%, at 9,436.09. The FTSE 250 ended 29.60 points lower, 0.1%, at 21,991.36 while the AIM All-Share was up 2.47 points, 0.3%, to 789.89.
In European equities on Thursday, the CAC 40 in Paris closed up 1.4%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt ended up 0.4%.
Thursday on Car Dealer
Could more job losses be coming at Evans Halshaw as firm closes pair of Ford dealerships?
Evans Halshaw has closed its Ford dealerships in Kirkintilloch and Batley as part of Ford’s wider UK network restructure. The Batley site ceased trading on October 12, with customers redirected to nearby locations. Parent company Lithia continues UK network cuts following its Hatfields acquisition.
Stoneacre ‘hugely excited’ after opening new Nissan dealership in Nottingham
Stoneacre Motor Group has expanded its partnership with Nissan by opening a new Nottingham dealership – its fourth with the brand. The £500,000 investment has created 10 jobs and features a seven-car showroom, 70-vehicle display area, and EV charging facilities.
Greenhous Group signs up with Geely Auto as new standalone brand gets ready for UK launch
Greenhous Group has signed a deal to represent Geely Auto in Shrewsbury as the Chinese brand readies its UK launch. The partnership will see Greenhous sell Geely’s first UK model, the electric EX5 SUV, priced from £31,999 and arriving later this year.
Renault dealers to allow customers to jump queue for new Twingo E-Tech
Renault has opened early access for the upcoming Twingo E-Tech via a £100 R-Pass, giving buyers priority ordering, production and exclusive gifts. The EV, priced from under £20,000, will debut on November 5, with UK deliveries expected next year.
City council approves plans to make SUV drivers pay more for parking
A city council has approved plans to impose higher parking charges on drivers of large vehicles.
Cardiff Council will increase the cost of parking permits for owners of SUVs and cars weighing more than 2,400kg.
A report to the council claimed large SUVs, such as Range Rovers, are ‘more polluting, more expensive and more dangerous’, and therefore owners ‘should pay more for permits’.
MI5 looking at potential risk from out-of-control AI
British spies have begun work on tackling the potential risk posed by rogue artificial intelligence (AI) systems, the head of MI5 said.
Sir Ken McCallum said it would be ‘reckless’ to ignore the potential for AI to cause harm.
In a speech at the Security Service’s Thames House headquarters, he insisted he was not ‘forecasting Hollywood movie scenarios’ but the intelligence agencies had to consider the risks.
Sunny spells to break through gloom in parts of the UK on Saturday
Sun may break through the overcast skies for periods in parts of the UK on Saturday following a week of gloomy weather.
A phenomenon known as ‘anticyclonic gloom’ – brought about by an anticyclone or high-pressure system settled over the country – has caused the grey conditions this week, according to the Met Office.
It occurs when air sinks towards the ground under high pressure, trapping a thin layer of moisture or low cloud close to the surface which the October sun cannot break through.
️ Ready for a change?
After a dry spell, low pressure is moving in – bringing rain, wind, and a soggy Sunday for many.☁️ Find out all the details in our weekend forecast with Alexhttps://t.co/pVHwwa0NNl pic.twitter.com/6vA2rRk7Wa
— Met Office (@metoffice) October 16, 2025
