British Chambers of Commerce says chancellor George Osborne needs to make major structural changes October 28, 2015 A leading business group is calling on chancellor George Osborne to make major structural changes in next month’s spending review. In a submission published today, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said that the British economy “remains in need of care and encouragement” and that the group’s members want Osborne to prioritise fixing the business [...]
Steel crisis 2015: UK business secretary Sajid Javid wants emergency EU steel summit October 28, 2015 Business secretary Sajid Javid is calling for an emergency European Union meeting over the steel crisis. Javid, who is set to meet with EU commissioners in Brussels today, said “severe pressures” on the European steel sector require “urgent action”. “I want to see steel top of the EU agenda,” Javid said. “We cannot stand by [...]
Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott: mass migration is a “wicked problem” October 27, 2015 In a surprising intervention tonight, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has told a City audience that mass migration to Europe is a “wicked problem” and advocated for further military intervention in Syria and Iraq. In a speech commemorating Margaret Thatcher at Guild Hall, Abbott said that “no country or continent can open its borders to [...]
Number 10 announces a new review led by Lord Strathclyde into the House of Lords October 27, 2015 The government has announced new details of a review into the role of the House of Lords, following peers' votes last night to delay the implementation of tax credit cuts. A Number 10 spokesperson said tonight that the government is "setting up a review to examine how to protect the ability of elected governments to secure their [...]
Forget the data roaming charge overseas: It’s just been banned across the EU October 27, 2015 Good news for tourists and business travellers alike: Those pesky roaming charges are about to become history (at least within the European Union). The European Parliament today voted to ban data roaming charges across all EU countries, starting 15 June 2017. Roaming charges are what mobile operators charge you to use mobile internet overseas. You [...]
Chancellor George Osborne says he will continue with reforms to tax credits while “lessening the impact on families” October 27, 2015 After the government was slammed by the House of Lords twice last night, chancellor George Osborne has said he will "lessen" the impact of tax credits on families. Osborne promised "transitional help" for those affected, but pledged that the government would continue with reforms that will save billions for the Treasury in welfare payments. Read [...]
Preaching to the choir? Jeremy Corbyn brands Conservatives “poverty deniers” at TUC conference October 27, 2015 Union leaders are singing the praises of newly-elected Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn after he used one of his first public appearances as party leader to call the Conservatives “poverty deniers” who spend “billions” cutting taxes for the rich. Corbyn – who has avoided media interviews and has yet to speak in the House of [...]
MPs reject a tampon tax bill calling for a reduction in the rate of VAT on women’s sanitary products October 26, 2015 Eurosceptic Tory MPs joined forces with Labour and the SNP in a surprising alliance last night to try to force the government to cut taxes on women’s sanitary products. The coalition failed with MPs rejecting The Finance Bill amendment, which would have forced a negotiation with the EU to reduce VAT rate, by 305 to 287 votes. HM Revenue and Customs [...]
Tax credit changes: House of Lords slams government by voting twice to delay tax credit cuts October 26, 2015 In a move that Downing Street has accused of breaking convention, the House of Lords has twice voted to delay the implementation of the government's controversial tax credit cuts, backing amendments from both Labour peer Baroness Hollis and crossbench peer Baroness Meacher. Baroness Hollis's amendment, which passed 289 to 272, required a three-year "transitional period" with "full protection" for [...]
Tax credit changes: the four ways the House of Lords could vote today October 26, 2015 The government's plans to cut tax credits will face their fiercest opposition yet today as peers consider killing the reforms. The House of Lords is set to debate and vote on four amendments this afternoon to the proposed cuts to in-work benefits, including a “fatal motion” which could stop the cuts altogether but trigger a [...]