Is there a solid case for the proposed boost to UK defence spending? March 2, 2020 Is there a solid case for the proposed boost to UK defence spending? Chris Ross, senior vice president at Barracuda Networks, says YES. It’s time to face up to the reality that we live in an increasingly dangerous world, with cybercrime, global tensions, and sophisticated terrorist attacks placing a huge burden on the security services. [...]
Businesses and government in entrepreneurs’ relief row March 2, 2020 A row has broken out between the government and businesses over plans to scrap the entrepreneurs’ relief tax scheme, which small firms have warned will “destroy retirements”. Separately, a report has found that the use of the scheme is growing more than twice as fast in the north of the country than in London, questioning [...]
Exclusive: Distillers demand cut to spirits duty in March budget March 2, 2020 A coalition of British distillers have written to Rishi Sunak to urge him to stick to his party’s election manifesto and cut spirits duty in this month’s budget. The letter – drawn up by the UK Spirits Alliance and signed by 40 of its members – asks the chancellor to “reduce the excise duty burden” to [...]
US trade deal objectives outlined by the Department for International Trade March 2, 2020 The government will today publish its objectives for a UK-US trade deal, with negotiators aiming for an “ambitious and comprehensive” agreement. The Department for International Trade has advised that official talks will begin this week, with new analysis revealing the trade deal is expected to increase transatlantic trade flows by £15.3 billion. The department believes [...]
Pete Buttigieg drops out of 2020 race for US Democratic presidential candidacy March 1, 2020 Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay major US presidential candidate and a former small-town mayor in Indiana, has tonight dropped out of the race to be the Democratic candidate in the 2020 election. The decision followed a significant loss at a primary in South Carolina over the weekend, at which Buttigieg came in fourth place. [...]
Whitehall looks to clamp down on business grant fraud March 1, 2020 Whitehall is planning a review into how business grants are awarded to combat fraudulent claims. The review is set to look at the way grants funding is awarded and the rising instances of “grant fraud”, which some estimate to be worth in excess of £2bn. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has [...]
Sir Keir Starmer in bullying row with his Constituency Labour Party March 1, 2020 Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of being complicit in the bullying of local party members in what has been described by some as a smear campaign against the Labour leadership frontrunner. A complaint has been made by the Holborn and St Pancras Constituency Labour Party (CLP) to party general secretary Jennie Formby, claiming Starmer’s [...]
Government set to scrap entrepreneurs’ relief in £2.7bn tax grab March 1, 2020 Plans have been drawn up by the Treasury to hit businesses with a £2.7bn tax rise in this month’s budget. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to scrap entrepreneurs’ relief, which gives a capital gains tax cut to people who start their own businesses. The scheme cuts the amount of capital gains tax paid, when they [...]
Coronavirus: Government will not rule out quarantining entire cities March 1, 2020 Quarantining entire UK cities to deal with coronavirus has not been ruled out by the government, according to health secretary Matt Hancock. Hancock was asked this morning about extreme measures that could be taken to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The health secretary said the government would publish its “battle plan” to combat [...]
Joe Biden secures landslide victory in South Carolina primary March 1, 2020 Joe Biden’s campaign to reach the White House has been given a new lease of life after the Democrat secured a resounding victory in the South Carolina primary yesterday. Biden, who served as vice president under Barack Obama, emerged victorious in the vote, where Democrats decide which candidate they want to run against President Donald [...]