EU migrant crisis: Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel make migration warnings ahead of critical EU summit with Turkey March 17, 2016 Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have issued warnings on the scale of migration that can be expected to continue if action is not taken. Ahead of an EU summit today, Merkel said that Turkey should be praised in what it has done, while Europe has not "covered itself with glory in [...]
EU referendum: British politicians write open letter to President Barack Obama urging him against intervention March 17, 2016 A group of cross party MPs have written an open letter to President Barack Obama to tell him to stay out of the EU debate. Five MPs and MEP Nigel Farage have written to the president in a personal appeal, calling on him to refrain from entering the EU debate when he visits the UK. [...]
Donald Trump becoming next US president is a bigger risk to the world than jihadi terrorism and Brexit, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit March 17, 2016 China's economy experiencing a sharper-than-expected slowdown is the world's biggest risk, according to the wonks over at the Economist Intelligence Unit. "If China's economy slows by more than we currently expect, it will further feed the ongoing global commodity price slump, with a hugely detrimental impact on those Latin American, Middle Eastern and Sub-Saharan African states that [...]
Welsh e-cigarette ban is defeated after Labour politician makes ‘cheap date’ jibe at Plaid Cymru March 16, 2016 Welsh Labour plans to ban e-cigarettes in public places where children and young people are present were defeated today. The decision came as a surprise given that Plaid Cymru had originally given its Assembly members a free vote on the issue. However, the party instructed its members to vote against the e-cigarette ban after Labour member and [...]
Budget 2016: Lifetime Isa announced to stop younger people choosing between buying a house and saving for retirement March 16, 2016 Chancellor George Osborne has today announced a new lifetime Isa in his Budget speech to help under 40s who feel they have to make a choice between saving for a retirement or saving for a property. Similar to the help-to-buy Isa, government will boost the savers' pot, with the rate offered on the lifetime Isa being £1 [...]
Budget 2016: Advice allowance for pension to be raised after recommendations from the Financial Advice Market Review March 16, 2016 Changes to the pensions advice allowance mean that people will now be able to dip into their pension pots to pay for pre-retirement financial advice. Building on the recommendations from the Financial Advice Market Review (FAMR) earlier this week, the government will open a consultation this summer on whether to allow people to withdraw £500 tax [...]
Budget 2016: From savers to landlords and commuters, here are the winners and losers from George Osborne’s “sugar tax” Budget – and how it will affect you March 16, 2016 Today's big speech has already become known as the "sugar tax" Budget, after George Osborne announced a surprise levy on fizzy drinks. But sugar addicts weren't the only losers from today's Budget: landlords were also hit, after the chancellor decided not to apply a fall in capital gains tax to them – while children are faced [...]
Budget 2016: Labour brands the chancellor’s Budget a failure, claiming it is “built on sand” March 16, 2016 The leader of the Labour opposition Jeremy Corbyn has criticised the chancellor George Osborne's 2016 Budget, labelling it as “the culmination of six years of failures.” He described the economic recovery since the 2008 financial crisis as "built on sand, on a budget of failure". Corbyn said: He’s failed on the budget deficit, failed on debt, failed on investment, [...]
Budget 2016: What were chancellor George Osborne’s favourite words used in his speech? March 16, 2016 Chancellor George Osborne has unveiled a range of new measures in his Budget – but he took 9,223 words to do it. He used the speech to draw attention to the benefits of the European Union, unveil measures to clamp down on tax avoidance, while introducing a new lifetime Isa and raising the personal threshold. [...]
Budget 2016: Here are the reactions to Osborne’s announcements on sugar tax, corporation tax, Insurance Premium Tax, Isas, education and growth prospects March 16, 2016 George Osborne has just announced some Budget surprises – a sugar tax, longer school days – as well as an increase in sin taxes on tobacco, alterations to ISAs and savings, and corporation taxes. Here's what analysts are already saying about the chancellor's latest agenda on… Personal allowance David Kilshaw, private clients services partner, EY [...]