Jobs saved by "historic" US trade deal, Rightmove set for growth and British Airways orders new Boeing fleet

Optically, it’s been a decent week for the Government. Trade deals with the US and India have handed Sir Keir Starmer a short-term boost after Labour’s dismal local and by-election results. The US agreement will genuinely save jobs - particularly in the automotive sector - and that’s great news for UK manufacturing.

But let’s not overstate it. These aren’t transformative deals; they’re modest tweaks dressed up as triumphs. Some voters, rightly or wrongly, are uneasy about the India deal’s national insurance clause, fearing it could lead to increased immigration. That hardly screams electoral gold for Labour.

At least reports that the US would gain a veto over Chinese investment in the UK have been dismissed as “complete nonsense” by Darren Jones, because the very idea that Donald Trump could wield influence over UK economic sovereignty is eyebrow-raising to say the least.

Then there’s Trump himself, hailing the agreement on Truth Social as “GREAT for our FARMERS and RANCHERS”. That should ring alarm bells for Britain’s food producers. Alongside looser conditions for US pharmaceutical firms, it’s not hard to see who might really benefit from this “deal”.

Meanwhile, Sadiq Khan’s shift towards building on London’s green belt marks another misstep. Following Angela Rayner’s environmentally questionable housing proposals earlier this year, the Mayor is now “actively exploring” a move that could permanently alter the capital’s character.

Yes, housing is important - and the industry supports thousands of jobs - but when does it stop? The idea that the property sector will one day say, “we’ve earned enough, we can stop now,” is laughable. If Labour starts rolling back green belt protections, it may never end. Britain’s strength lies in the balance between urban connectivity and rural calm. Suburban communities thrive because of that blend. Yet Labour seems intent on bulldozing that equilibrium - both literally and politically.

Pair that with their continued avoidance of meaningful immigration debate, and it’s easy to see why voters are drifting. A couple of soft trade wins won’t save Labour from the deeper, structural problems, including its relentless attach on middle class lifestyles through house building, that it refuses to confront.

All that said, small but significant is sometimes what does the business, and maybe that will apply to Labour's long-term electoral fortunes, too. For example, we found out today that the sunniest April on record brought a “small but positive” rise in shoppers in the UK. High street footfall was up 0.2 per cent year-on-year, with retail parks seeing a 2.7 per cent boost.

Let's take that as good news.