Aldi issues Budget warning as profit slashed September 15, 2025 Profit at discount supermarket giant Aldi was slashed by more than £100m during its latest financial year despite sales passing the £18bn mark. New figures released by the chain show its operating profit declined from £552.9m to £435.5m in 2024. Aldi said the fall was as a result of it continuing to “lower prices for [...]
Autumn Budget: Rachel Reeves told to scrap ‘not fit for purpose’ Lifetime ISA September 12, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned that the Lifetime ISA (LISA) is “not fit for purpose and must be reformed” in the Autumn Budget. Tom Goddard, a senior associate at audit, tax and business advisory firm Blick Rothenberg, has argued that the LISA “must be reformed to not conflict with shared ownership schemes”. The LISA [...]
Rachel Reeves explores ‘pro-growth tax reforms’ to business rates September 11, 2025 Rachel Reeves will explore “fixing” cliff-edge business rates, which make small businesses pay higher taxes upon opening a second property, as part of reforms she has described as “pro-growth.” The Chancellor is reviewing changes to the small business rates relief, with a decision expected to be announced at the Autumn Budget on 26 November. Treasury [...]
Brits shy away from buying houses as uncertainty over property tax increases September 11, 2025 Buyer inquiries and sales slipped in August, with ‘ongoing uncertainty’ putting the brakes on the UK’s housing market, according to new data. Agreed sales slipped sharply, with a net balance of 24 per cent of property professionals seeing transactions fall, up from a balance of 17 per cent the previous month, the Royal Institution of [...]
Princess Yachts back in profit but Rachel Reeves’ Budget forces job cuts September 10, 2025 A luxury yacht builder has surged back into profit and its sales jumped by more than £100m as hundreds of jobs were cut because of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget. Plymouth-based Princess Yachts has reported a revenue of £378m for 2024, up from the £276.3m it achieved in 2023, according to new accounts filed with Companies [...]
Reeves must stop punishing SMEs to save lifeless jobs market September 9, 2025 Amid record redundancies and a stagnant jobs market, Reeves must stop punishing SMEs at the next Budget, writes Kevin Fitzgerald.
UK economy dubbed ‘stagflation-lite’ as Starmer talks up ‘patriotic’ growth mission September 9, 2025 The UK economy is not expected to have recorded any growth in the month of July as leading analysts suggest that a lack of clarity over Labour’s future policies are hitting firms – despite a call from the prime minister for ministers to take on a “patriotic duty” to drive growth. Rachel Reeves and Keir [...]
‘It’s not a fair fight’: HMV boss issues Rachel Reeves Autumn Budget tax demand September 8, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been urged to reform business rates in the Autumn Budget by the boss of HMV. Phil Halliday, in an up-coming episode of City AM‘s Boardroom Uncovered show, said the current system should be altered to make it fairer for UK retailers. The managing director added that businesses such as HMV are [...]
Construction firms are ‘lagging behind’ as confidence plummets September 4, 2025 Construction firms are struggling to kick back into growth, fresh data has suggested, as more bosses are becoming worried about a bleaker future ahead. The Labour government is pinning hopes on a revival of the construction sector to build 1.5m homes by 2030. However, a new survey has raised doubts about whether Labour can achieve [...]
Nick Clegg: Labour’s choices have left UK in ‘perilous’ place September 4, 2025 Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has blasted the Labour government for its poor preparations ahead of last year’s elections, which led to “ridiculous” decisions being made at least year’s £40bn tax grab in the Autumn Budget. Speaking to LBC, Clegg said Labour had made promises it could not deliver as it struggled to balance [...]