Reform UK: Kent local authority poised to hike council tax October 6, 2025 Reform UK-run Kent County Council is likely to raise council tax next year, with a cabinet member suggesting that a five per cent hike is on the cards. Diane Morton, the council lead for adult social care, told the Financial Times: “We’ve got more demand than ever before and it’s growing.” “We just want more [...]
Tories vow to ease IR35 rules and cut red tape for small businesses October 6, 2025 Identification checks for small businesses would be eased under a new Tory pledge to slash red tape and allow entrepreneurs to open bank accounts at a quicker pace. Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, will tell party members that the Tories would make growth among small businesses central to wider economic plans as they would [...]
China spying case collapse leads to ‘interference’ accusations October 6, 2025 Senior officials have pointed fingers at the Labour government over the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to drop the espionage case against two men accused of spying for China. Senior UK government figures told the Financial Times that the government fatally undermined the Chinese spying case in order to protect the UK’s commercial and [...]
Why Evelyn Partners backed the City’s newest padel tournament October 6, 2025 Next week some of the City’s biggest companies will put professional pride on the line in the name of competition – and charity – at the inaugural Evelyn Partners Padel Cup. The invitation-only tournament will see 16 mixed teams from top Square Mile firms descend on high-end Canary Wharf club Padium on 16 October for [...]
Citroen: UK sales slump by over £400m October 6, 2025 A sharp decline in the number of new and used Citroen cars being sold in 2024 contributed to the brand’s revenue being cut by more than £400m. For its latest financial year, the Coventry-headquartered firm’s revenue fell from £1.2bn to £792m, new accounts filed with Companies House show. Citroen’s revenue from the sale of new [...]
Harry Potter Studios Tour profit spikes ahead of expansion October 6, 2025 Profit at Warner Bros’ Harry Potter Studios Tour near London has spiked ahead of a major expansion project opening. The business behind Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter has reported a pre-tax profit of £113.4m for 2024. The latest total, published in new accounts filed with Companies House, comes after [...]
Intel: UK revenue slashed by over £1bn as profit cut October 6, 2025 Revenue at the UK arm of technology giant Intel has been slashed by almost $1.5bn (£1.1bn) as its profit was cut significantly during its latest financial year. The division of the US group has posted a revenue of $3.3bn for 2024, down from the $4.7bn it achieved in 2023. New accounts filed with Companies House [...]
Regulators target motor finance CMCs amid redress costs concern October 6, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority is teaming up with a fleet of regulators to crackdown on misleading claims firms in the motor finance saga – even as the sector’s displeasure on the redress scheme rumbles on. The City watchdog will join the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Information Commissioner’s Office and the Advertising Standards Authority to tackle [...]
EY: UK financial sector prioritises tech-savvy hires in AI era October 6, 2025 Over half of all of new non-executive directors appointed to British financial services companies over the past year have brought tech expertise, new research from big four accountancy giant EY has found. The figure, 52 per cent, shows a 16 per cent rise from the previous year, as AI continues to shift boardroom dynamics. While [...]
London’s Hippodrome Casino VAT recovery hopes dashed by Tribunal October 6, 2025 London’s Hippodrome Casino has failed to overturn a ruling on the method used to calculate the tax recovery for residual input tax. The 24-hour casino, located in the heart of Leicester Square, also features restaurants, bars, and a theatre, where Magic Mike Live has been performing since 2018. While most people attend the Hippodrome for [...]