5 important things happening in the UK today

Here are 5 important things happening in the UK today – 28 July 2025.

Starmer to meet Trump to discuss trade deal and Gaza ceasefire: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet US President Donald Trump in Scotland on Monday in a bid to remove the remaining obstacles to their trade deal and press for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. Starmer will travel to Trump Turnberry, the president’s golf course, where he played at the weekend and thrashed out a trade deal with the European Union on Sunday. [Bloomberg]

Advisors raise concerns over wealth tax: UK wealth managers have reported a surge in enquiries from affluent customers after weeks of uncertainty over a potential wealth tax, prompting some to halt their investment decisions and draw up plans to leave Britain. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has refused to rule out a possible wealth tax in the October Budget, after former Labour leader Lord Neil Kinnock suggested applying an annual levy of 2% on assets above £10 million. [Financial Times]

Plans for pubs to get greater protection from noise complaints: Pubs and music venues could benefit from fewer noise complaints under proposed changes to planning and licensing rules. Under the reforms, developers seeking to build new properties near existing venues would be required to soundproof buildings, while permissions would be expedited for new businesses and al fresco dining in designated areas. [BBC]
Climate-linked inflation could push up UK food prices by more than a third by 2050: Britain is at risk of a worsening “climateflation” crisis amid the fallout from increasingly extreme weather that could drive up food prices by more than a third by 2050. Sounding the alarm over the financial impact for UK households, the Autonomy Institute think tank said that climate-induced price increases for everyday food items risked pushing almost one million people into poverty without urgent government intervention. [Guardian]