UK government hosts meeting with business leaders to discuss growth (updated)

Standard Chartered

14/09/2026 13:58

Recasts with Burnham's withdrawal from event after death of father
LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - British finance minister John Healey will meet the bosses of several major companies on Monday to discuss the government's plans to generate economic growth, Downing Street said.
Healey will host a reception with the chief executives of companies including banks HSBC HSBA.L and Standard Chartered STAN.L, oil majors BP BP.L and Shell SHEL.L, and telecom firms BT BT.L and Vodafone VOD.L.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham had been due to host the event, but cancelled engagements on Monday and Tuesday after the death of his father.
Burnham's Downing Street office earlier said that he had planned to tell the businesses that the government's plans for devolution could help deliver much-needed infrastructure and he wanted to support a culture shift to back innovation.
The meeting with the bosses of Britain's biggest energy companies follows a report Burnham is set to delay a decision on whether to bring the Shell-backed Jackdaw gas field online until after a parliamentary by-election next month.
Ahead of the reception, Healey will also hold a roundtable with British entrepreneurs from the fields of fintech, AI, clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
Last week Healey used his first major speech since taking office to set out a brighter vision for the economy before an annual budget where he faces tough tax and spending choices.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Joe Bavier and Toby Chopra)
((alistair.smout@thomsonreuters.com; +44 207 542 7064; Reuters Messaging: alistair.smout.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net/))