CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves tried to tone down the doom and gloom in her party conference speech in Liverpool yesterday.

Last week figures showed consumer confidence had slumped following her warnings of “tough choices” in the looming Budget.

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And firms have put hiring and investment on ice until they get more Government clarity.

So were these British business chiefs convinced by her attempt to be more upbeat about the future?

RICHARD WALKER

Exec chairman, Iceland supermarket

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“I THINK the rhetoric so far has been quite downbeat, so it is important to sell an optimistic, bold vision.

Labour is in a tight spot of being squeezed on the left and the right of the part.

 But they do need to give a sense of ambition and it’s good they did that.

The industrial strategy is important because we absolutely need a joined-up, well-thought-out strategy, almost like Harold Wilson’s “white heat of technology” speech 60 years ago.

We need something we can sell and get behind to be confident and ambitious about.

An industrial strategy shouldn’t just focus on the big shiny stuff, it should focus on the politics of ordinary life, be that the buses, high street or connectivity, things that are essential to the everyday. Investment is critically needed.

It was encouraging that the Chancellor came back to business rates a few times in quite clear language that the system is broken and needs reform.

Now it needs to move to reality to protect the high street and jobs.”

MIKE RAYBOULD

CEO, Portmeirion homeware

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“IF Reeves and the Government are serious about ‘building Britain together’, they need to value manufacturing and the jobs and communities it supports.

Government must play a critical support role for firms by creating a low-tax, high-investment economy.”

ROWAN CROZIER

CEO, Brandauer metal-stamping

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“AN industrial strategy is long overdue. The Chancellor’s focus on it is a welcome first step ­forward.

The country is seeing severe constipation over investment decisions due to the current ­negativity the Government is pushing and the uncertainty this creates.”

STEVE HARE

CEO, FTSE 100 tech firm Sage

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“THIS honest speech highlights that growth is the challenge and investment is the solution.

A focus on digitisation and technology investment is essential — e-invoicing is a prime example.

We have to break out of the current cycle of negative sentiment.”

PAUL THWAITE

CEO, NatWest Group bank

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“OUR Chancellor is right when she says investment is the key to boosting UK growth.

These ambitions require the contribution of every part of Britain. There is so much potential in the UK.

I am optimistic we will succeed and grow together.”

ROMI SAVOVA

CEO, pension provider PensionBee

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“MESSAGES encouraging growth are welcome, especially in tech and science.

My industry is holding its breath for initiatives to use money in pension funds to unleash investment.

Details of the Budget cannot come soon enough to quell savers’ nerves.”

NEIL STEVENS

CEO, fintech firm Fintel

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“LABOUR’S manifesto promised hope and since then we had got the opposite so yesterday was a welcome shift.

London’s junior stock market has to be supported, either by encouraging pension funds to invest more or to give more incentives to invest.”

NIMISHA RAJA MBE

Founder, Nim’s fruit & veg crisps

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“REEVES has been complaining about the ‘black hole’ in the economy. The first rule of business… work with the cards you are dealt.

The Industrial Strategy is important but it must not overlook the needs of small business.”

JOHN ROBERTS

CEO, electrical retailer AO World

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“WHAT we really need is to stop the waste and not just keep raising taxes.

Creating the right reward-for-risk ratio is critical to inspire investment.

There are lots of warm words but very little that I’ve seen in the way of an actual plan to make it happen.”

OZ FIRM’S MOVE No3

RIGHTMOVE will “carefully consider” a £6.1billion takeover approach from Australia’s REA Group after rejecting two previous offers.

The sweetened price of 770p-a-share is a 39 per cent premium to the property site’s share price before the takeover approach was made public.

REA Group is majority-owned by News Corp, which is the ­ultimate owner of The Sun. Its chief executive Owen Wilson said: “We are genuinely disappointed at the lack of engagement by Rightmove’s board.”

Rightmove shares edged up by just 0.77 per cent to 679.6p.

TRAINING AID BY BT

BT is setting up a £4million fund to help small firms and charities launch up to 550 apprenticeships.

The telecom giant is using £4million of its own unspent apprenticeship levy to team up with apprentice-provider Babington over four years.

It is the latest big company to come up with its own answer to the Government’s apprenticeship levy, which requires bigger firms to set aside 0.5 per cent of annual payroll. But firms argue the schemes are too narrow and as a result £2.2billion in unspent funding has gone back to the Treasury since the levy began.

DUNELMCASH-IN

DUNELM’S deputy chairman has cashed in on the home retailer’s recent growth and sold £123million of shares.

Will Adderley, whose parents founded the firm, last night sold 10million shares, which is equivalent to 4.9 per cent of the entire company.

Mr Adderley still owns around a third of the business and said he remained “fully committed” to it.

Dunelm has shot up to a valuation of £2.5billion, shrugging off a tough market. Its success came after profits at the start of the month turned out to be better than expected.

Donald Trump’s speech went completely off the rails during a campaign rally in Savannah, Georgia, Tuesday.

Trump lurched over the podium as he sped through several different topics, dispensing falsehoods at an event that was intended to be about the economy. To be sure, Trump did talk about his tariffs, saying, “The word tariff properly used is a beautiful word. One of the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard. It’s music to my ears.”

As Trump continued, he appeared to be out of it, misspeaking several times.

“We did so much! We gave you—before—the greatest, the biggest tax hikes in the history of our country,” Trump boasted. In reality, the former president installed a series of tax cuts that mostly benefited the country’s top one percent of earners.

Later, Trump referred to Charlottesville, Virginia, as “Charlottestown.”

Trump spoke so rapidly that, at one point, the Republican nominee appeared to wipe drool from his lip. He went on to claim that California was plagued by “blackouts and brownouts” and experienced one “every 10 seconds,” which was preventing people from using air conditioning during the summer.

Trump seemed particularly animated as he rattled between different outlandish claims.

“I HAVE A CHART, that’s my all time favorite. I love that. Is it around? Is it a—?” Trump wandered away from the podium. Finding no chart, he pretended one was floating behind him and acted out hugging and kissing it, while the audience applauded. “I LOVE that chart. I sleep with that chart, every night I kiss it. I love it.”

He continued to spread disputed claims that a Venezuelan gang had taken over an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado. “They’re going to take over a lot more than Aurora, they’re going to go through Colorado, take over the whole damn state, unless … I become president,” Trump said, smiling.

Trump also joked that in Springfield, Ohio, Mayor Rob Rue was “looking for interpreters.” When his line fell flat, he repeated it again: “He’s looking all over the, f—interpreters. Because they can’t understand, the language is totally different. What the hell?”

Trump then repeated his baseless claim that Kamala Harris never actually worked at McDonald’s, again offering to try a shift there.

“She lied about McDonald’s. She said, ‘I was a worker in McDonald’s. And I stood over the french fries—.’ I’m going to a McDonald’s over the next two weeks. And I’M GOING TO STAND OVER THE FRENCH FRIES! Because I want to see what her job really wasn’t like,” Trump ranted.

While speaking about Russia’s military incursion into Ukraine, the former president said he doubted anyone could beat Russia. “That’s what they do is, they fight wars. As somebody told me the other day, they beat Hitler, they beat Napoleon. That’s what they do, they fight,” Trump said.

As far as using incendiary rhetoric about his opponent goes, Trump began his speech promising that if elected, Harris would “destroy” the country, and ended it after warning that a Harris victory might mean “this could be your last election.”

The union representing thousands of striking Boeing workers says a survey of its members shows they are “not interested” in the aviation giant’s latest pay offer.

“Many comments expressed that the offer was inadequate,” the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) said in a post on X.

It comes after Boeing made a new offer earlier this week to striking workers, which proposed a 30% pay rise over four years.

BBC News has requested a statement from Boeing in response to the IAM announcement.

“The survey results from yesterday were overwhelmingly clear, almost as loud as the first offer: members are not interested in the company’s latest offer that was sent through the media,” the IAM post said.

On Monday, Boeing made what it called its “best and final” pay offer, which included the reinstatement of a performance bonus, improved retirement benefits and a doubling of the value of a one-off bonus for signing a new pay deal to $6,000 (£4,470).

The company said the offer was dependent on it being ratified by union members by midnight pacific time on Friday 27 September (7:00 GMT on Saturday 28 September).

However, IAM said Boeing had sent the new offer directly to union members and the media without telling the union’s representatives.

It also said the company’s deadline did not give it enough time to organise a vote by its members.

Boeing denied that it had not informed IAM representatives about the offer, and said it would give the union more time and logistical support to ballot its members.

More than 30,000 Boeing workers have been on strike since 13 September after rejecting a 25% pay rise offer.

Union members – who produce planes including the 737 Max and 777 – voted overwhelmingly to reject the offer and back strike action until a new agreement could be reached.

IAM had initially aimed for a number of improvements to workers’ packages, including a 40% pay rise.

The strike threatens to cost Boeing billions of dollars, deepening the crisis at a company already facing significant challenges.

The company has already suspended the jobs of tens of thousands of staff.

BARGAIN supermarket Aldi is selling an incredible dog-friendly product perfect for the chilly autumn weather.

The item is being sold as part of the supermarket’s Specialbuy range later this week with it prices set to start from just £7.99.

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The reversible dog bomber coats could be top sellers as we head into winter, with owners looking to keep their beloved pooches warm.

They come in two different colour schemes of either navy and red or green and yellow.

They also come in a range of sizes so they are perfect for dogs from Dachshunds to Labradors.

The smallest size measures in at 38cm by 33cm by 55cm with the jackets costing just £7.99.

They go all the way up to an extra large which costs only slightly more at £9.99.

Aldi describe the coat as “streetwear for your four-legged friend”.

The listing on their website reads: “Keep your four-legged friend warm and cosy in this Reversible XS-M Dog Bomber Jacket.

“With a velcro closure underneath, this jacket can be easily removed and adjusted for comfort.

“The reversible colours mean your dog can strut their stuff in style around the block as the weather gets colder.

“Your dog will love heading outdoors in this padded puffer jacket.”

Shoppers who are looking to buy their pups a very early Christmas gift will have to wait a few more days to finally bag them up however with Aldi only putting them up on shelves on Thursday.

They will be released alongside a whole host of other animal products as part of their massive Pet Event.

Everything from bedding, food, toys and storage products are being sold with everything coming in at under £25.

Extra large comfy pet beds are the priciest of the 43 items on offer at £24.99.

Cat toys and bird friendly snacks feeders are the cheapest at less than £2.

They even have savings on the big brands such as Dreamies cat snacks, Wagg doggy treats and Pedigree and Whiskas classics.

Aldi Specialbuys are a unique and fantastic offering from the supermarket.

For a full run down of the best they have to offer check out this article.

It comes as Aldi bargain hunters were also rushing out to get their hands on a dupe for a popular Cadbury’s dessert.

Dairyfine Pots of Choc, Aldi’s version of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Pots of Joy, are described as a “smooth and creamy dessert”.

Other shoppers were going wild for a middle-aisle find that’s scanning at tills for as little as 99p.

The Kids Camping Chair – shaped like a fox – was already massively reduced at just £4.99 but one lucky shopper managed to bag one up for under a pound.

You can find your nearest Aldi store by using the retailer’s store locator tool on its website.

Remember it is always best to shop around to try and spot which shop has the best deal on any particular product.

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In a December 2023 article for the American Friends Service Committee, author Firas Ramlawi shares the story of Fatima Shahin, a woman in her sixties currently suffering from chronic kidney disease in Gaza City. Shahin has battled the illness for years, undergoing dialysis three times a week at Al-Shifa Hospital. After fleeing bombings at a UNRWA shelter, Shahin took refuge at Al-Shifa. But when the Israeli army besieged the hospital in November 2023, Shahin had restricted access not only to crucial treatment but also to food and water for two weeks.

After those fourteen days, the Red Cross coordinated the evacuation of patients, directing them south of Gaza. By this time, Fatima was finally able to leave the Al-Shifa Hospital and go to Abu Yousef Al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah, staying there for two days. 

Unfortunately, the hospital asked all dialysis patients to leave due to there being other more severely injured patients requiring immediate medical attention. 

“Fatima is one of the many stories we hear among thousands of stories that happened to Palestinians in Gaza due to the bombing and ground invasion by the Israeli army. Her suffering continues, and Fatima’s story is far from over,” wrote Ramlawi.

Corporate coverage of Gaza’s crumbling health care system amidst the military invasion from outlets such as the New York Times and Washington Post focuses largely on infections that have occurred as a result of the war and its overlapping malnutrition, displacement, and sanitation crises. However, very little coverage examines those suffering from chronic afflictions, for which medical care is almost completely unavailable.

Source: Firas Ramlawi, “Fatima’s Story, an Update from Gaza,” American Friends Service Committee, December 20, 2023.

Student Researcher: Kay Woon Lau (City College of San Francisco)

Faculty Evaluator: Jen Levinson (City College of San Francisco)

So these are the arcane rules for now and the candidates play the game. It is unlikely, however, that the founding fathers considered the deep maths involved.

Electoral game theory

In a short paper in 1921, the French mathematician and politician Émile Borel introduced the rudiments of what would a century later become the game you have just played. In Borel’s version, “each player arranges the numbers he has chosen in a determined order” and wins “if the numbers chosen by him are superior to the corresponding numbers” chosen by his opponent. If a majority of a player’s numbers are higher, they win. This is the mathematical skeleton of a political campaign.

Borel recognised the wider applications of this simple structure, writing that “the art of war or of economic and financial speculation are not without analogy to the problems concerning games”.

“The art of play,” Borel continued, “depends on psychology and not on mathematics.” But there is plenty of mathematics, too. In the field of game theory, this sort of competition became a canonical object of study, known as the Colonel Blotto game. In 1950, a germinal paper from the military think-tank now called the Rand Corporation described a “continuous Colonel Blotto game” and the strategies of “the wily Blotto” facing his “enemy”.

The fictional colonel is in charge of an army of troops, as is his opponent, which he has to distribute across some number of battlefields. Whoever is victorious on more battlefields wins the war. Real-world situations, including research and development, patent races, strategic hiring, auctions and, of course, elections have been examined through Blotto games.

Solutions to these games — what game theorists call equilibria — are maddeningly difficult to find. They involve complex “mixed strategies”, randomising across intricate plans so that your opponent cannot outguess you. In this sense, presidential campaigns can be thought of as incredibly rich versions of rock, paper, scissors.

A 2006 paper by a trio of political scientists was among the first to “appreciate the problem posed by the Electoral College and its Colonel Blotto game-like structure” — they argue, for example, that Gore’s hairbreadth loss to Bush in 2000 was due to mistakes in his Blotto strategy. A 2014 paper by two economists spends 20 pages on Blotto maths before concluding that more work would yield “insights into more complicated variants of the game, which may be more representative of real military, political or other environments”.

For now, your campaigning may reveal some glimpses of strategic insight into the political environment. And the real game will be decided on November 5, when Americans — and especially Arizonans, Georgians, Michiganders, Nevadans, North Carolinians, Pennsylvanians and Wisconsinites — go to the polls.

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