Boris Johnson signals willingness for new UK online tax on internet giants March 10, 2021 Boris Johnson has today signalled he could be open to a new online tax on tech giants like Amazon, while highlighting the taxation “discrepancy” between digital and bricks and mortar businesses. Johnson said during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) today that chancellor Rishi Sunak has “tried to address” the discrepancy “in an equitable way”. Sunak has [...]
EU nations agree to launch legal action against UK in Northern Ireland Brexit row March 10, 2021 EU countries have backed a proposal to launch legal action against the UK for unilaterally deciding to delay introducing post-Brexit customs checks in Northern Ireland in what will be an escalation of an ongoing row. European Commission vice president, and the EU’s Brexit chief, Maros Sefcovic presented the plans to the 27 EU ambassadors in [...]
Test and Trace has had ‘no clear impact’ on Covid rates despite £37bn budget, MPs warn March 10, 2021 There is no evidence to show that the government’s Test and Trace programme has had any clear impact on reducing Covid infection levels despite its £37bn budget, parliament’s spending watchdog has warned. In a report examining funding into the scheme, the cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said spending on Test and Trace was “unimaginable” and warned [...]
EU rejects charges of ‘vaccine nationalism’ despite export rows and slower rollout on continent March 9, 2021 EU Council President chides UK over outright ban on vaccine exports despite slow European rollout
Euros football tournament could mark post-Covid ‘London renaissance’, says minister March 9, 2021 Euros football tournament could mark post-Covid 'London renaissance', says minister
The race is on: Greece the latest EU state to woo UK tourists, who’ll be welcomed back from May March 9, 2021 Greece the latest EU state to woo UK tourists, who'll be welcomed back from May
George Osborne hits out at Sunak’s ‘unenterprising’ corporation tax hike March 9, 2021 Former chancellor George Osborne has slammed Rishi Sunak for his £45bn plans to raise corporation tax, saying they will send a message to other countries that “Britain isn’t a very enterprising place”. Osborne said today that he would have preferred to raise VAT to raise government revenues instead of Sunak’s plan to hike corporation tax [...]
Another Covid surge likely within the next year, warns Chris Whitty March 9, 2021 All current modelling suggests another wave of coronavirus is likely within the next year despite the speed of the vaccine rollout, Professor Chris Whitty has warned MPs. England’s chief medical officer said that even under the most optimistic set of assumptions a further 30,000 people will likely die from Covid-19. Speaking at the Commons’ Science and Technology [...]
Business groups call for David Frost to ease post-Brexit tensions with the EU March 9, 2021 UK business groups have called for Lord David Frost to ease tensions with the EU, after the de-facto Brexit minister launched a stinging attack on Brussels over the weekend. Frost has been urged to drop his “madman negotiating strategy” after he unilaterally acted to extend a transition period on customs checks in Northern Ireland without [...]
Covid court backlogs leave victims waiting years for justice, watchdog warns March 9, 2021 Court dates pushed back to 2023 are having “major consequences for victims and witnesses”, a prosecution watchdog has found, as backlogs due the pandemic continue. Delays exacerbated by restrictions have impacted people’s ability to recall events and could lead to less people willing to provide evidence, sparking concern over a “major risk for public confidence”, [...]