No levy announced. Treasury told the Telegraph (29 Aug) tax decisions are 'set out at fiscal events'; Guardian (2 Sep) says Healey is 'reportedly considering' a bank windfall tax for 28 Oct. HM Treasury August news carries none.
The August market resolved on HM Treasury announcements published on gov.uk between 5 and 31 August 2026, corroborated by at least two of BBC, Reuters and the FT. A hedged departmental line, an anonymous briefing or a report that the Chancellor was considering a levy would not have counted.
Britain has seen this before. One industry makes very large profits while people struggle with costs, and the chancellor needs money. We found five such cases since 1981, and they split. Three ended in a new tax, which came at a new government's first Budget or in a crisis. Two ended with no tax, when chancellors in the middle of a term protected the City of London.