Budget: Rishi Sunak’s ‘age of optimism’ boosted by higher growth forecast post-Covid October 27, 2021 The Chancellor is planning to strike an upbeat tone as he talks up building a “stronger economy of the future” in his Budget, later today, with the promise of rising wages, cash for the NHS and investment into regional transport projects. Rishi Sunak will hail a “new age of optimism” and he will have more [...]
Sunak to hail Budget as ushering in ‘new post-Covid economy’ but Brits await detail October 27, 2021 Billions of pounds of funding for the NHS and wage rises for millions of workers will make Rishi Sunak hail his Budget as ushering in a “new economy” after the coronavirus pandemic. The Chancellor is to bill his tax and spending plans today as preparing an “economy fit for a new age of optimism” as [...]
Budget Day: All eyes are on Rishi Sunak’s tax and spending plans October 27, 2021 With all the briefings that have been taking place since the weekend there would appear to be little in the way of surprises when the Chancellor of the Exchequer gets up to speak later today. Most of the content appears to have already been pre-briefed much to the displeasure of the Speaker of the House [...]
China shut out of UK nuclear plans as Kwarteng sets out new funding model October 26, 2021 The UK’s nuclear energy programme is being revitalised with a rebooted funding model to shut out Chinese companies and replace its ageing power facilities. Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has announced The Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill ahead of the Budget today. The UK will now utilise the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) to front-load costs to consumers [...]
Labour puts pressure on Sunak to ease household cost of living pressures in Budget October 26, 2021 Labour has put pressure on Rishi Sunak to do more to ease household cost of living pressures in the autumn Budget as MPs hit out at the Treasury for releasing large parts of tomorrow’s announcement early. Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Bridget Phillipson today called on the government to cut VAT on energy bills [...]
France threatens to block ports and slow-down customs checks as fishing row reaches boiling point October 26, 2021 British officials fear France will escalate the post-Brexit dispute over fishing rights, according to the Telegraph. Jean Castex, France’s prime minister, will unveil a series of retaliatory measures if French fishermen are not provided greater access to the UK’s coastal waters. This could include cutting energy supplies to the UK and Jersey and blocking Britain’s [...]
Tory MPs call for UK government to pull out of global tax deal October 25, 2021 A pair of Tory MPs have called for the UK government to pull out of the global corporation tax deal, claiming it could cost the Exchequer billions in tax revenues. Backbenchers Greg Smith and Andrew Bridgen called for Rishi Sunak to reconsider his commitment to the deal, after he helped broker it at this year’s [...]
This week’s Budget: An overview of the £30bn of investments announced so far October 25, 2021 More than £30bn of investment has already been revealed by the Treasury ahead of Wednesday’s Budget. Chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Sunday that “(over) the last year, I’ve been focused on delivering our plan for jobs, protecting people’s livelihoods, their incomes, their jobs”. But he said he would now be “looking to the future and [...]
Minimum wage set to rise to £9.50 per hour October 25, 2021 The National Living Wage will increase from £8.91 per hour to £9.50 in the Budget this week. The 59p an hour boost means a full-time worker on the National Living Wage will see a pay rise of more than £1,000 a year. This is a 6.6 per cent increase in the minimum wage, which is [...]
Pandemic festivities: A ‘normal Christmas’ is on the horizon, says Sajid Javid October 25, 2021 A “normal Christmas” is on the way, providing everyone “plays our part”, health secretary Sajid Javid has said today. Responding to concerns that this Christmas could face the same fate it did last year, Javid told BBC Breakfast: “What we know about this virus is that it’s unpredictable and I don’t think any sensible health [...]