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Half of managers (50%) think the government is lifting coronavirus restrictions too quickly, according to a Chartered Management Institute poll.

Shared exclusively with Trevor Phillips on Sunday, it reveals 39% believe the changes are happening at the right pace, while 8% think they are occurring too slowly.

Public sector managers were slightly more concerned than private sector managers.

And those working in manufacturing were more likely to say the restrictions were easing at the right pace compared with managers in business and other services.

It comes as government guidance to work from home ends in England from 19 July, opening up the possibility of more workers returning to the office.

While eight in 10 are planning to bring at least some staff working from home back to base, the extent varies, according to the poll.

Only 13% of managers said they will be asking all staff to return.

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EMBARGOED TO 0001 FRIDAY APRIL 9 File photo dated 04/03/20 of a woman using a laptop on a dining room table set up as a remote office to work from home. Fewer than one in seven leaders in some of the UK's biggest companies have said they expect a full-time return to offices by the end of this year, according to a new survey. Issue date: Friday April 9, 2021.
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Working from home looks set to become a permanent feature for many workers

Most appear to favour an approach that keeps many at home; 43% say they will be asking some staff to come back, while 25% will be asking most employees to return.

A small proportion could face a permanent future in the home office however, as 15% of managers said none of their staff working remotely would be asked to come back.

The poll also showed the expected significant uptake in hybrid working – from 57% before March 2020, to 83% in July 2021.

And with some experts expressing misgivings over the end of measures such as social distancing and mask wearing in England, employers overwhelmingly say they will keep anti-COVID measures.

Some 76% are planning to continue with their current precautions, while only 2% intend to scrap safeguards. Twenty-two percent said they weren’t sure.

Increasing numbers of people have been told to self-isolate in recent weeks after getting “pinged” by the NHS COVID.

More than half a million alerts were sent out in the week to 7 July, the highest number on record.

But the poll suggests a significant number of managers (46%) aren’t concerned about the potential effect on day to day business if workers have to isolate.

However, 53% said they were concerned; and there was more concern in some industries than others.

Two-thirds of managers in manufacturing, trade, accommodation and transport reported concerns, compared with 44% in business and other services and 55% in non-market services.

The poll surveyed 1,373 managers between 9 and 14 July.

About seven in 10 worked for large companies and 27% were SMEs; 44% were private sector and 56% public and third sector.

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How markets reacted to uncertainty over Rachel Reeves’s future

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How markets reacted to uncertainty over Rachel Reeves's future

The pound fell and state borrowing costs rose during a period of uncertainty over the chancellor’s future on Wednesday.

During Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir Starmer declined to guarantee whether a visibly emotional Rachel Reeves would remain chancellor until the next election following the government’s welfare bill U-turn.

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Following his remarks, the value of the pound dropped and government borrowing costs rose, via the interest rate on both 10 and 30-year bonds.

Although market fluctuations are common, there was a reaction following Sir Keir’s comments in the Commons – signalling concern among investors of potential changes within the Treasury.

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PM refuses to rule out tax rises

Sterling dropped to a week-long low, hitting $1.35 for the first time since 24 June. The level, however, is still significantly higher than the vast majority of the past year, having come off the near four-year peak reached yesterday.

While a drop against the euro, took the pound to €1.15, a rate not seen since mid-April in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements.

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Meanwhile, the interest rate investors charge to lend money to the government, called the gilt yield, rose on both long-term (30-year) and ten-year bonds.

The UK’s benchmark 10-year gilt yield – so-called for the gilt edges that historically lined the paper they were printed on – rose to 4.67%, a high last recorded on 9 June.

And 30-year gilt yields hit 5.45%, a level not seen since 29 May.

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Both eased back in the hours following – as a spokesperson for the prime minister attempted to quell speculation about the chancellor’s future.

Sky News understands the prime minister made clear to the chancellor that she has his “complete support” and remains integral to his project.

Ms Reeves has committed to self-imposed rules to reduce debt and balance the budget. Speculation around her future led investors to question the government’s commitment to balancing the books – and how they would do that.

The questions over her future came after the government scrapped the core money-saving component of its welfare bill, which had been intended to reduce spending in order to meet fiscal rules.

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More bad news for Elon Musk as Tesla deliveries miss target again

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More bad news for Elon Musk as Tesla deliveries miss target again

Tesla’s woes have deepened as latest production and deliveries figures showed a greater fall than expected.

A total of 384,122 Teslas were delivered from April to June this year, a 13.5% drop on the same period last year and the second quarter of slumping output.

Wall Street analysts had expected Tesla to report about 1,000 more deliveries.

It’s bad news for Tesla chief executive Elon Musk in a week of attacks from President Donald Trump on him personally, as well as his companies.

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Mr Musk found himself on the wrong side of Mr Trump and the majority of US congresspeople in his opposition to the so-called big beautiful bill approved by the US Senate.

His criticism of the inevitable debt rises the bill will result in led Mr Trump threatening to end subsidies for Mr Musk’s numerous businesses and to deport him.

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His role as founder and chief executive of numerous businesses has made him the world’s richest man, according to Forbes.

As well as Tesla, Mr Musk founded space technology company SpaceX and Starlink. He also acquired the social media company Twitter, which he rebranded X.

It was the poor performance of Tesla that pushed him out of full-time politics and back to the Tesla offices.

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After months of share price tumbles and protests at Tesla showrooms, sales drops and car defacings, Musk left his work with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Not everyone viewed the figures as negative.

Analysts at financial services firm Wedbush said: “Tesla’s future is in many ways the brightest it’s ever been in our view given autonomous, FSD [full self-driving], robotics, and many other technology innovations now on the horizon with 90% of the valuation being driven by autonomous and robotics over the coming years but Musk needs to focus on driving Tesla and not putting his political views first.”

After a 5% share price fall earlier this week when Mr Musk strayed back into political matters, Tesla stock rose 4.5% on Wednesday.

The latest financial details for Tesla will be published later this month.

In the first three months of the year, Tesla’s profits fell by 71% to $409m (£306.77m) from $1.39bn (£1.04bn). Revenues were also well below forecasts, dropping 9% to $19.3bn (£14.5bn).

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AstraZeneca exit is a frightening prospect for the City and the government

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AstraZeneca exit is a frightening prospect for the City and the government

It’s a threat that will send a shiver down the spine of Downing Street and shake the City of London to its core.

Even the notion that AstraZeneca (AZ) – the UK’s most valuable listed company – is thinking of upping sticks and switching its stock market listing to America is a frightening prospect on many levels.

After all, if your biggest firm departs for Wall Street, what message does it send to an already bruised London stock market that has struggled to find its way since the UK’s vote to leave the European Union?

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The timing of the report in The Times that Pascal Soriot, the pharmaceutical company’s long-standing chief executive, is considering his own Brexit for the company, will not be lost on anyone.

The Treasury is under severe strain and the Starmer government, apparently focused on compromise given its welfare reform U-turns, bruised.

Ministers have been scrambling to get the support of business back, after a budget tax raid that has added to the cost of employing people in the UK, by launching a series of strategies to demonstrate a growth-led focus.

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Mr Soriot’s reported shift is the culmination of years of frustration over UK tax rates and support for business – though it could also remove a focus on his own remuneration as the highest-paid director of a UK-listed firm.

Astrazeneca Boss Pascal Soriot
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Pascal Soriot has run AZ since 2012

AZ has its own gripes with Labour.

In January, the company cancelled a planned £450m investment in a vaccine factory on Merseyside, accusing the government of reneging on the previous Conservative administration’s offer of financial aid.

At the same time, it has been rebuilding its presence in the United States.

That speaks to not only a home market snub but also the election of a US president intent on protecting, as he sees it, America-based companies and jobs.

Donald Trump is threatening 25% tariffs on all pharma imports.

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How Trump’s tariffs are biting

AZ has already promised a $3.5bn (£2.6bn) investment in US manufacturing by the end of 2026.

It has also rejoined the leading US drug lobby group, bolstering its voice in Washington DC.

There are sound reasons for bolstering its US footprint; more than 40% of AZ’s revenues are made in the world’s largest economy. Greater US production would also shield it from any duties imposed by Mr Trump and any MAGA successor.

Since Brexit, complaints among UK stock market constituents have been of low valuations compared to peers (with a weak pound also leaving them vulnerable to takeovers), weaker access to capital and poor appetite for new listings.

Wise, the money transfer firm, became the latest UK name to say that it intends to move its primary listing to the US just last month.

Pic: Europa Press via AP
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Shein had been exploring a London flotation until it was blocked. Pic: Europa Press via AP

If followed through, it would tread in the footsteps of Flutter Entertainment and the building equipment suppler CRH – just two big names to have already left.

London was snubbed for a listing by its former chip-designing resident ARM back in 2023.

An initial public offering by Shein, the controversial fast fashion firm, had offered the prospect of the biggest flotation for the UK in many years but that was blocked by the Chinese authorities.

Efforts to bolster the City’s appeal, such as through the Financial Conduct Authority’s overhaul of listing rules and the creation of pension megafunds to aid access to capital, have also been boosted in recent months by investors in US companies taking a second look at comparatively low valuations in Europe.

Market analysts have charted a cash spread away from the US as a hedge against an erratic White House.

The Times report suggested that Mr Soriot’s plans were likely to face some opposition from members of the board, in addition to the UK government.

Pic: itock
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The City of London has faced a series of challenges since Brexit Pic: iStock

AstraZeneca has not commented on the story. Crucially, it did not deny it.

But a government spokesperson said: “Through our forthcoming Life Sciences Sector Plan, we are launching a 10-year mission to harness the life sciences sector to drive long-term economic growth and build a stronger, prevention-focused NHS.

“We have already started delivering on key actions, from investing up to £600m in the Health Data Research Service alongside Wellcome, through to committing over £650m in Genomics England and up to £354m in Our Future Health.

“This is clear evidence of our commitment and confidence in life sciences as a driver of both economic growth and better health outcomes.”

Governments don’t comment on stories such as these, but you can bet your bottom dollar that the departure of your biggest firm by market value is not the message a government laser-focused on growth can afford to allow.

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