Stories

Sun, 13 Sep 2026

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 'Culture shift' needed in how UK does business, PM urges

Burnham has said those who take risks should be backed by government, but his government has been criticised for increasing business costs.

* He plans to meet with CEOs of major companies including BP, Shell, and HSBC at Number 10
* Burnham aims to give businesses "confidence that they'll get all the support they need"
* Government would be a "partner for growth" to make every part of Britain better off
* Meeting comes as UK faces challenges from higher borrowing costs and energy prices
* Official data shows surprise boost in economy driven by AI investment, but growth is expected to slow
* Fears of high inflation and interest rates hikes have driven up government debt costs
* Experts say UK has particular problem with high government debt due to factors affecting investor confidence