For the tax avoidance of doubt: In light of the review into the controversial loan charge, what are the options? September 18, 2019 With reports of people losing their homes, going bankrupt, and even committing suicide, it’s clear that the government’s so-called “loan charge” is hugely problematic. Tens of thousands of freelancers and contractors are being chased for retrospective tax, with some expected to pay debts that date as far back as 1999. Why? Because they signed up [...]
DEBATE: Will David Cameron be remembered for anything other than Brexit? September 18, 2019 Will David Cameron ever be remembered for anything other than the EU referendum? YES, says Ben Kelly, a commentator for Reaction. In a few decades, after the Brexit mania has passed, we will reflect on this era with a different perspective. David Cameron will of course be a key player in the books, TV shows [...]
Britain’s car industry could weather a storm of tariffs better than you’d think September 18, 2019 The latest American Economic Review contains a timely paper. Keith Head and Thierry Mayer, at the University of British Columbia and the Banque de France respectively, estimate the consequences of changes in tariff and non-tariff barriers to the car industry. They look at both US-led protectionism and Brexit, and calculate how these might change the [...]
Sick of the Brexit saga? You’ll miss it when it’s finally over September 18, 2019 Not for the first time, it struck me last week in the midst of parliamentary shenanigans and court challenges how much my friends and acquaintances like to talk about the B word. The conversation arose over pudding at a dinner party, and though all the guests rolled their eyes and groaned sophisticatedly at the interminability [...]
The Lib Dem Article 50 gamble is so radical it might just work September 18, 2019 It is certainly ballsy. It has filled the newspaper pages and the airwaves. It has generated controversy. I’m talking about the Liberal Democrats’ new policy of revoking Article 50 should they win a majority in any upcoming election. Is it a masterstroke, something that will generate some short-term excitement that will eventually die down, or [...]
Worried about Brexit’s impact on your business? September 18, 2019 London is one of the world’s business capitals – a world-class financial hub, home to leading businesses across finance, professional services, law, technology, and creativity. While Brexit will not change these fundamentals, we know that it will cause new challenges that firms need to address to continue to be successful. Big firms will weather the [...]
By standing up to its critics, the RNLI turned the tide September 17, 2019 We Brits are a pretty generous lot, always happy to help out for a good cause. We’ve become used to the cycle of long-format telethons now, from Children in Need to Comic Relief, with people of all walks of life digging deep into their often sparsely filled pockets to see someone sit in a bath [...]
Digital battlegrounds: The war between big tech and regulators September 17, 2019 We now live in the age of the internet of things, where voice-sniffing devices abound, and consumers have the convenience of tailored search suggestions. Perhaps it is Amazon’s Alexa – revealed earlier this year to be forever listening to its users’ conversations – that provides the emblem of the age. However, while such devices can [...]
Founders, change with the times as your startup scales up September 17, 2019 You’ve had your brilliant idea, and others are backing you by working for or even investing in your startup. Your role as founder is clear: you need to make sure that all your people pull together to make your vision a reality, but the buck stops with you. It will take all your energy and [...]
Real lives will be ruined by the delay to the laws dropped with the prorogation of parliament September 17, 2019 The prorogation of parliament has been variously cast as an attempted coup or a smart move in delivering the referendum mandate. Either way, many among both the fans and the critics have overlooked the impact that the end of a parliamentary term can have on real people. For when parliament is prorogued, dissolved or dismissed, [...]