Paul Kelso

Paul Kelso is a business and economics correspondent at Sky News whose coverage of finance centres on how economic decisions translate into real‑world consequences for workers, consumers and businesses. He reports on UK and international business stories, using interest rates, budgets, energy markets and corporate deals as entry points into wider questions of living standards, political power and market regulation. His work combines studio analysis, field reporting and explanatory formats across television, digital video and podcasts.

Interest rates, inflation and the cost of living

Kelso’s core financial coverage follows monetary policy and fiscal decisions through to their impact on households and the wider economy. In recent reporting on the Bank of England, he has examined how an interest rate rise remains possible even as inflation eases, setting rate‑setting decisions in the context of borrowing costs and business confidence. He covers government budgets and economic policy debates, including interviews with figures such as Rachel Reeves on upcoming budgets and tensions within political parties, framing finance stories around political choices and their economic fallout. During the coronavirus crisis he reported on “the human cost of the jobs crisis”, focusing on how government handling of the downturn affected employment, business failures and personal hardship. He also analyses food price inflation, explaining how conflicts such as the war in Iran push up food costs and what structural changes would be needed to lower them. Across these pieces, his distinguishing focus is the link between headline economic indicators and everyday financial pressure on people and firms.

Energy, supply chains and global risk

Energy markets and supply chain resilience are another recurring strand of Kelso’s finance coverage, often tied to geopolitics and climate policy. He has explained what American companies stand to gain from access to Venezuela’s oil reserves and why political figures such as Donald Trump pursue Venezuelan oil, setting resource policy within global economic and diplomatic competition. On Sky News ClimateCast he has discussed whether “we can decarbonise our supply chains”, exploring how businesses handle emissions in production and logistics and the commercial implications of climate targets. His reporting has included site visits, such as a recent trip to an industrial facility to examine how rising energy costs are impacting operations and investment decisions on the ground. Kelso covers regulated utilities as well, interviewing Sir Jon Cunliffe about the state of the water sector and the findings of a detailed report into its condition, highlighting governance, investment and consumer outcomes. He also reports on maritime security, visiting a Royal Navy‑led organisation that provides security information to shipping, linking trade flows and energy routes to security risks for global commerce. Together, these stories show a consistent interest in how energy, infrastructure and supply chains shape financial stability and business strategy.

Business, consumers and corporate power

Kelso frequently approaches finance through the lens of corporate decisions and their impact on consumers and communities. He has reported on Sky’s proposed acquisition of ITV, asking whether popular soaps and reality shows could disappear as a result of consolidation in the media market and what such a deal means for viewers and competition. His coverage of aviation and infrastructure has included reporting on Heathrow’s expansion plans, where he has spoken to residents about how a new runway would bring massive growth in flights and affect their mental health and quality of life. He ties consumer experiences to business conditions in pieces on travel and weather, such as reports on how disrupted summer weather and strikes are affecting holidaymakers and the companies that depend on seasonal travel. Kelso also covers the intersection of business and conflict, explaining how wars – including in Iran – feed directly into food prices and supply disruptions that hit shoppers and retailers. In each case, he treats corporate and regulatory decisions not as abstract business news but as forces that reshape what people pay, how they live and how markets function.

Versatile correspondent across beats

Kelso’s finance reporting is informed by a career that has spanned health, sport and general news as well as business. Before taking on his current business and economics brief, he served as a health correspondent, producing exclusive stories on gender pay inequality, NHS finances, the deaths in care of patients with learning disabilities and autism, and preparations for a no‑deal Brexit, all of which involved detailed analysis of institutions and public spending. Prior to that he was a sports correspondent covering major events including the World Cup and Olympic Games and a series of major drugs and corruption scandals, building experience in investigative work and complex, multi‑stakeholder stories. Before joining Sky News he reported on sport and news for national newspapers including The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian, and has been recognised with multiple Sports Journalism Awards for news, scoop and broadcasting. This background explains his ease moving from interviews with Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reports from rival protests in London, and from long‑form economic explainers to breaking news hits, while maintaining a consistent focus on evidence and the consequences of decisions for people.