Three ways to fix the regulators and boost growth Opinion There are signs that tackling regulation is finally getting the focus it needs, but with GDP forecasts looking grim, there’s more to be done, says Leo Ringer The UK is producing world-beating companies in complex, regulated markets like fintech, healthcare, novel foods and autonomous vehicles. But their success is in spite of regulatory frameworks that [...]
City minister takes aim at cash ISAs in call to back the stock market Investing The City minister lamented the hundreds of billions of pounds stashed away in cash ISAs today as she called for Brits to invest more money in London’s ailing stock market. Speaking to the Lord financial regulation committee, Emma Reynolds, who took over the role of City minister last month, said the UK had “failed to [...]
Hospitality sector still reeling from Labour’s Budget Opinion The high drama of a global trade war competes for coverage with Keir Starmer’s EU reset, impending interest rate decisions and Nigel Farage’s lead in the opinion polls. News moves fast, and the spotlight moves on. For their part, politicians are always among the most eager to ‘draw a line under it’ and move on; [...]
Rosebank: Britain’s future ‘not in more oil and gas’, energy minister warns February 4, 2025 The UK’s future “does not lie in more oil and gas”, an energy minister has told MPs, just days after a court ruled against consent for two new fields in the North Sea. A judge last week upheld a legal challenge by environmental campaigners against the decision to grant consent to two new oil and [...]
Reeves reviews tech tax as Trump trade war fears mount February 4, 2025 Rachel Reeves is reviewing the UK’s £700m digital services tax (DST) on American tech giants in a bid to avoid Donald Trump’s tariffs. The DST, which was introduced in April 2020, imposed a two per cent levy on UK revenues of major tech leaders like Amazon, Apple and Google. The US previously expressed strong opposition, [...]
‘Rachel Reeves, you must do better’: Chancellor urged to act before hospitality’s collapse February 4, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been told to take urgent action to prevent the collapse of thousands of hospitality businesses across the UK. In an open letter Sacha Lord, who was until recently Andy Burnham’s night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester, said he no longer considers Labour to be the party of “business and growth”. [...]
FCA has the same ‘red flags’ as the Post Office, MPs say in fresh attack February 3, 2025 A parliamentary group on fairer finance has reignited its row with the Financial conduct Authority (FCA) today, comparing the watchdog to the Post Office and accusing bosses of engaging with criticism in a “disappointing, defensive and dismissive” way. In a new report, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Investment Fraud and Fairer Financial Service, which counts [...]
Manchester set to become ‘global capital of football’, says Burnham January 29, 2025 Manchester will become “the global capital of football” following a major regeneration project centred around a new Manchester United stadium, says the city’s mayor Andy Burnham. The government and Trafford Council have pledged to support the wider revamp of the area, which is set for a transformation like that catalysed in Stratford by the London [...]
Next CEO backs Lords battle against National Insurance tax rise January 29, 2025 The chief executive of retail giant Next has backed an attempt in the House of Lords to change the planned change to employer’s National Insurance Contributions (NICs). Lord Wolfson has supported amendments to the bill which have been tabled by Baroness Noakes. In Labour’s Budget last Autumn, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said that the government would [...]
VAT on private school fees to hammer ‘crisis-hit’ special needs provision January 23, 2025 Rachel Reeves’s controversial Budget decision to impose VAT on private school fees will hit the most vulnerable special educational needs students hardest, an expert has warned. The Chancellor confirmed at the Autumn Budget that fees are set to be taxed 20 per cent, which the government claims will benefit the Treasury to the tune of [...]