The rise of the regulators December 10, 2024 Regulators have expanded massively over the last 50 years, in terms of headcount, expenditure and scope. This has created a risk aversion ratchet which is hampering growth and damaging democracy – there is another way, says James Vitali Over the past fifty years, a silent revolution has taken place in the British constitution. While central [...]
All hail Rayner, destroyer of NIMBYs December 10, 2024 Since Christmas is a time for hope, it’s worth appreciating the good news when we see it. The business community’s frustrations with Labour are well documented and easy to understand, but even its fiercest critics tend to concede that one area stands out as a bright spot in an economic landscape marred by tax increases: [...]
Starmer’s ‘tax-take’ Britain will see us take a back seat in the looming tech revolution December 10, 2024 Starmer’s tax hikes and half-baked policy aims are squeezing the last drop of entrepreneurial zeal Britain has, just as the world embarks on the greatest technological revolution for two centuries, warns billionaire tech VC and philanthropist Tej Kohli. The Prime Minister’s refusal to rule out further tax hikes on top of those he’s already imposed [...]
Gary Lineker won’t be the last celebrity to fall foul of HMRC December 10, 2024 With the government’s efforts to close the tax gap, high profile individuals like celebrities, athletes and entertainers, are increasingly finding themselves under HMRC’s scrutiny, says Phil Clayton Gary Lineker is making the headlines once again – this time as a result of HMRC’s continued efforts to overturn the First Tier Tribunal’s (FTT’s) decision on £4.9m [...]
The Notebook: Doom spending, girl math, and the impact of financial social media trends December 10, 2024 Many of us have heard the term ‘doom scrolling’ – where you feel like you’re mindlessly scrolling through social media, and I think we can all agree that you never feel better after it. But I hadn’t heard of the term ‘doom spending’ until recently. It’s a newer trend on social media which essentially glamorises [...]
Just how blue is the sky for Bluesky? December 9, 2024 Bluesky is pitching itself as an alternative to the social media behemoths, but the history of the internet is littered with notable failures, says Paul Armstrong Bluesky has drawn sharp attention, pitching itself as the anti-social media — a decentralised network that hands control back to its +25m users including news organizations, politicians, celebrities and [...]
The Notebook: Labour’s Data Bill could open the floodgates to AI. Why is no one talking about it? December 9, 2024 Enough with 'AI innovation', Labour's Data Bill threatens our privacy and deserves proper scrutiny, writes Silkie Carlo.
No Christmas cheer for employers as 2024 draws to a close December 9, 2024 There are plenty of reasons to be cheerful at this time of year, but the state of the economy isn’t one of them. As Christmas trees go up and celebrations get underway, there are worrying signs that large parts of corporate Britain are preparing to end the year in a state of nervousness and pessimism. [...]
The markets in 2025 December 9, 2024 Market forces are likely to continue to change into next year and dealmakers need to be ready, says Merlin Piscitelli With elevated wage costs and tax changes, business sentiment has sunk to an all-time low, following the Autumn Budget. But while confidence in growth under a Labour government appears weak, one industry that is booming is mergers [...]
Belfast is a fintech powerhouse. The City can gain from its expertise December 9, 2024 As the number one city in the world for fintech inward investment projects, Belfast can help boost the City, writes Alastair King.