Some 19,000 jobs for 16-24s created under government Kickstart Scheme November 12, 2020 More than 19,000 placements for unemployed young people have been created under the government’s £2 billion Kickstart Scheme so far. The Kickstart Scheme began last week and, according to HMRC, is expected to produce “tens of thousands” more placements in the coming months. The scheme provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to [...]
Begone Trumpist protectionism! How Biden will boost prospects for global trade November 12, 2020 We cannot be sure on the exact order in which European leaders were contacted by the US President-elect, but we do know that Boris Johnson was among them early on, silencing the hysteria that our Prime Minister might be snubbed. Fears have abounded during this US presidential race that a Joe Biden win would result [...]
Why are vulnerable working-age adults like me at the back of the vaccine queue? November 12, 2020 The last few days have been filled with the exciting news of one — at least — vaccine being made available in as little as a few weeks. After almost nine months in the grips of a pandemic, it is the news that the UK population has been desperately waiting to hear. Yet, while the [...]
Cain unable to carry on: Downing St director of comms resigns November 11, 2020 Lee Cain has resigned from his Downing Street role as director of communications under Boris Johnson. Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson James Slack will replace him, according to the BBC. A statement from Cain said: “After careful consideration I have this evening resigned as No.10 director of communications and will leave the post at the end [...]
Government advisory body tells Rishi Sunak to hike capital gains tax November 11, 2020 Rishi Sunak should double capital gains tax rates in order to reel in an extra £14bn, according to the government’s tax advisory body. The Office for Tax Simplification today released its findings on a review ordered by Sunak, telling the chancellor he should increase the rate of capital gains tax and slash exemptions to take [...]
Customs chaos looms as ‘haulier’s handbook’ delayed for a month November 11, 2020 Hauliers will have just three weeks to familiarise themselves with the new regulations for transporting goods into the EU from 1 January, it was revealed today. The so-called “Hauliers’ handbook” had been due to be released at the beginning of November but will now be unveiled in full on 7 December. Speaking to the Parliamentary [...]
New foreign investment powers will create ‘considerable uncertainty’ for business November 11, 2020 A new law giving the government the power to block foreign takeovers will create “considerable uncertainty” for businesses, City firms have warned today. The National Security and Investment Bill, which was published today, has been labelled the “most significant” change to the UK’s investment regime in decades. But many are concerned that the new regime, [...]
All pro-democracy Hong Kong lawmakers resign as China moves to quash opposition November 11, 2020 Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition lawmakers have resigned en masse in protest against the ousting of four of their colleagues after Beijing gave local authorities fresh powers to quash dissent. The Chinese parliament adopted a resolution earlier on Wednesday allowing the city’s executive to expel legislators deemed to support Hong Kong independence bypassing the courts. Moments [...]
Boris Johnson says controversial PR spending needed to ‘fight anti-vaxxers’ November 11, 2020 Boris Johnson has claimed that money splurged by vaccine taskforce chief Kate Bingham on private PR companies was necessary to combat anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. Bingham, who is married to Tory minister Jesse Norman, was plunged into a scandal over the weekend when it was revealed she had spent £670,000 on private PR companies for the [...]
The government’s National Security and Investment Bill could close the door on Global Britain November 11, 2020 As the twin spectres of Brexit and Covid-19 continue to dominate the headlines, you could be forgiven for not having the government’s planned National Security and Investment Bill on your radar. But the Bill is set to radically overhaul the UK’s approach to foreign investment at a time of significant economic uncertainty. While its exact [...]