France says ‘non’ to Patel plan to turn back migrants in Channel September 9, 2021 France has refused to accept Priti Patel’s plan to send boats of migrants back across the English Channel. France’s interior minister Gerald Darmanin tweeted this morning that he will not “accept any practice contrary to the law of the sea nor any financial blackmail”, after Patel threatened to withhold millions of pounds she previously promised [...]
Three is the latest mobile network to reintroduce EU roaming charges September 9, 2021 Three has become the third mobile network following Brexit to reintroduce roaming fees when travelling abroad of £2 daily. The firm follows rivals EE and Vodafone which recently announced the return of £2 daily charges, while O2 has kept free roaming so long as it is deemed “fair use”. The move is a particular defeat for Three [...]
Exclusive: UK looks to close investment deals with Gulf states at October summit September 8, 2021 The UK will try to use a major summit next month to close a series of investment deals potentially worth billions of pounds with Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman. The Global Investment Summit will see Boris Johnson and international trade secretary Liz Truss focus their energies on trying to broker investment deals [...]
NHS will ‘swallow’ additional funds raised by tax hikes, warns IFS September 8, 2021 A leading economic think tank has warned Boris Johnson’s decision to hike national insurance and dividend tax will not raise enough funds to tackle England’s social care crisis. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned the 40 year trend of the NHS breaching its budget will lead to the additional money raised by the tax [...]
UK buckled under Australian pressure and removed climate goals in trade deal September 8, 2021 The UK bowed to pressure from the Australian government and agreed to take out climate commitments in a free trade deal, it has been revealed. The UK-Australia trade deal will not contain binding commitments on reaching climate goals set at the landmark 2015 climate summit in Paris, after Canberra pushed for it to be dropped [...]
Dividend tax grab threatens City’s reputation as a good place to do business September 8, 2021 Boris Johnson’s £600m dividend tax raid could deter investors, dampen entrepreneurial activity and damage the City of London’s reputation as a good place to do business, experts have warned. The government launched a tax assault yesterday in a bid to raise money to pay for clearing the swelling backlog of NHS work and to fix [...]
Cabinet reshuffle rumours swirl around Westminster September 8, 2021 Rumours continue to swirl that Boris Johnson will oversee a cabinet reshuffle tomorrow, despite Number 10’s comments that there are “no plans” for one. The Prime Minister has cleared his diary tomorrow, after a quick House of Commons vote today on the government’s National Insurance and dividends tax increases. The Times reports today that Johnson [...]
David Davis blasts voter ID plan as ‘illiberal’ solution as bill passes first hurdle September 7, 2021 Former Brexit Secretary David Davis has hit out at UK Government plans to introduce voter ID laws at future general elections. Davis said the plans to demand potential voters produce photgraphic ID is an “illiberal” solution in search of a “non-existent problem”. The Elections Bill will make it a requirement for voters to show an [...]
Boris Johnson refuses to rule out new tax rises before next election September 7, 2021 Boris Johnson has said he has an “emotional commitment” to not hiking tax again before the next election, but refused to rule it out just hours after increasing National Insurance and dividend tax. Johnson refused at today’s press conference on three occasions to promise he would not raise taxes again, commenting only that “I certainly [...]
IFS: Tax hikes not enough to fix broken social care system September 7, 2021 A leading economic think tank has warned hikes to national insurance and dividend taxes announced by prime minister Boris Johnson today will not be enough to tackle chronic problems in the UK’s social care system. The Institute for Fiscal Studies warned the increase in funding for social care will fall short of reversing deep cuts [...]