
Sky News Business Podcast: Welfare reforms, bond markets and skills
Paul also speaks to George Lagarias, chief economist at Forvis Mazars, about how the bond markets have reacted to the U-turn.
And there is an interview with entrepreneur Simon Squibb on the drop in the number of graduate-level jobs.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
UK military chief meets US counterparts for Ukraine talks
The head of Britain's armed forces has met with his Nato counterparts as Europe continues to push for security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin met senior US defence officials alongside other European military chiefs in Washington DC on Wednesday to discuss military options to secure peace in Ukraine. He later attended a virtual meeting of Nato's military committee, described by its chairman Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone as 'candid'. On Tuesday evening, Admiral Radakin, the chief of the defence staff, had dined with his US counterpart General Dan Caine. The meetings come amid renewed planning for a 'coalition of the willing', led by the UK and France, that would guarantee Kyiv's security in the event of a ceasefire. Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired a meeting of the coalition, in which members of the group also discussed the possibility of further sanctions on Russia. Western security guarantees, strongly resisted by Moscow, are one of the central issues for any peace deal for Ukraine, which fears Russia could otherwise use a ceasefire to regroup and launch a renewed invasion. So far, only the UK and France have indicated they could commit troops to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine. In an interview on Tuesday Donald Trump ruled out an American ground contribution but suggested the US could be willing to provide some form of air support. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, had earlier suggested the US could offer Ukraine a mutual defence agreement similar to Nato's Article 5, without Kyiv formally joining the alliance. Renewed talks among the 'coalition of the willing' follow last week's summit between Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska as the US president continued to push for an end to a conflict he had promised he could finish on his first day in office. Those talks appeared to result in little progress towards a deal, but sparked concern among some in Europe that Mr Trump could seek to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into accepting a deal without sufficient security guarantees. On Monday, Sir Keir and Mr Macron joined other European leaders in travelling to Washington in a show of support for Mr Zelensky during a meeting with Mr Trump. Meanwhile, the UK and Russia traded sanctions as London sought to increase the pressure on Moscow to end its invasion. Europe minister Stephen Doughty unveiled sanctions on a series of organisations linked to Kyrgyzstan's financial services sector, saying they had been involved in Kremlin attempts to 'soften the blow of our sanctions by laundering transactions through dodgy crypto networks'. Russia in turn sanctioned 21 individuals, including former Labour MP Denis MacShane, several journalists, and the Government-appointed independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall.


The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Arsenal reignite interest in Eberechi Eze after Kai Havertz injury setback
Arsenal have reignited their interest in Crystal Palace 's Eberechi Eze after Kai Havertz picked up a knee injury and faces a spell on the sidelines. The Gunners were keen on Eze earlier in the window but Tottenham moved ahead of them to negotiate a deal in the region of £55m plus add-ons. Spurs have had days of negotiations, which have at times been 'difficult', with Palace but are yet to finalise a deal giving Arsenal the belief they can hijack the transfer at the last minute. The extent of Havertz's injury is being assessed but Arsenal would want enough cover in the forward areas with Gabriel Jesus still out until at least November. Arsenal also have players available in positions coveted by Palace, such as Jakub Kiwior, but any suggestion of potential swaps would need to be made in a deal separate to the one for Eze. Negotiations are moving quickly and the principle of a deal with Palace is already in place for Arsenal, with that believed to be similar to the approximate £60m package offered by Spurs but including faster payment terms. In their dealings with Tottenham, Palace have asked for more of the eventual fee paid up front to ensure they can secure a replacement for Eze. They also want to get that player in place before releasing the 27-year-old. For Arsenal, the view from numerous sources was that they preferred is to sell players first before committing to a purchase and then being under pressure to sell before the end of the window. Havertz's injury has potentially changed that and the Gunners feel confident they can convince Eze to choose them over Tottenham having long been rumoured to be the winger's first preference for a move.


The Sun
8 minutes ago
- The Sun
Major retailer slashes patio heater our garden editor calls an ‘excellent budget buy' to under £30
SHOPPERS are rushing to Argos to bag a bargain electric wall heater just in time for the bank holiday weekend. The heater has been slashed in price to just £27 and has been tried and tested by our very own gardening expert, Veronica Lorraine. Argos Home Electric Wall Heater, £30 £27 With the Great British weather being famously unpredictable, there's no telling whether the bank holiday will be a washout or bring yet another heatwave. However, as summer draws to a close, this discounted patio heater is the perfect way to make the most of those lingering summer evenings. (Oh, and it acts as a bit of insurance if you have an outdoor event planned this weekend.) This outdoor gadget allows you to keep alfresco gatherings going well into the night – even when there's a chill in the air - and they're brilliant for winter too if you're planning to host garden parties year-round. This particular heater boasts three settings: 650, 1300, and 2000 watts, with three corresponding bars. You can use all three bars or just one or two, depending on your needs, making it ideal for those late summer evenings right through into the depths of winter. The electric heater can be installed outdoors, whether in gardens, on balconies, or on outdoor terraces and it's even great for a camping BBQ area. On the safety front, the device has an IP34 rating, meaning it's suitable for both wet and dry conditions, and also has overheat protection. Our in-house gardening editor Veronica Lorraine gave this a four-star rating in her best patio heater round-up. Argos Home Electric Wall Heater, £30 £27 An all-round winner, Veronica first praised the heat it gave off, describing it as 'hot, hot, hot!' She raved about the super-easy setup, overheat protection, and the three-bar flexibility of the heater, describing it as an 'excellent budget buy.' Argos shoppers are just as happy. One customer loved how the heat settings were 'all good in freezing weather... It also has the double benefit of providing light when it's on.' 'I bought this for our summer house, as on the not-so-hot British summer days, it gets a little chilly in there," wrote another buyer. "I can now enjoy sitting outside in my garden on these long summer nights, feeling nice and cosy in the summer house.' So, if you're looking to stretch out the last of the summer nights and carry on with your outdoor entertaining into the heart of winter, this price-dropped patio heater is the one to snap up. Argos is currently running its Big Red Event, with savings on thousands of items, from homeware and electronics to back-to-school and uni essentials. You can save up to 50% with the code RED50, with price drops starting at 10% off using the code RED10. And, if you're looking to get your garden sorted for autumn, we've spotted some fantastic deals. These include a 'spacious' outdoor shed with over £100 off and .