Tories pledge to slash tax and red tape in ‘alternative King’s Speech’ Politics The Tories have set out their vision for the UK economy, pledging to slash taxes and red tape to “back innovation, entrepreneurship and growth”. Kemi Badenoch’s party has said it would slash welfare spending, scrap business rates for high street business and repeal Labour’s workers’ rights reforms. The Conservatives have published their “alternative King’s Speech,” [...]
Guaranteed hours rules would threaten jobs, government warned Economics Four leading trade bodies have warned the government that new rules around guaranteed hours would increase unemployment and prevent young people from entering the jobs market. The industry bodies have raised concerns over Labour’s guaranteed hours policy, a part of the Employment Rights Act which became law in December. The British Retail Consortium, Food and [...]
BRC chief: Red tape ‘weighs heavily’ on retailers Retail Helen Dickinson, the boss of leading trade body the British Retail Consortium, believes red tape “weighs heavily” on retailers. She speaks to Felix Armstrong about food inflation, workers’ rights and her meeting with the Chancellor. Helen Dickinson was six weeks into her job as chief executive of the BRC when the horsemeat scandal landed on [...]
‘Significant backlog’ for Tribunal cases as new workers’ rights come into law April 8, 2026 Concerns have been raised about the “ongoing and significant” backlog at the Employment Tribunal as new worker rights come into play this week. The Law Society, while welcoming the launch of the Fair Work Agency (FWA), raised concerns that the new agency will be equipped to tackle the case backlog. Between Monday and Tuesday, a [...]
Workers’ rights laws couldn’t come at a worse time for businesses April 8, 2026 The government’s Employment Rights agenda is becoming a reality, and the timing could scarcely be worse. As the first provisions of the Employment Rights Act come into force, Britain’s economic outlook is darkening rapidly. Growth is faltering under the weight of an energy shock, inflation is stirring again and businesses are staring down a period [...]
Businesses brace for costs as new workers’ rights kick in April 7, 2026 Businesses across Britain are bracing for a sharp hike in costs and hiring struggles as the government’s new workers’ rights laws begin to take effect this week. The British Retail Consortium (BRC), a leading trade body, said the Employment Rights Act risks adding to an onslaught of rising cost pressures facing firms, including wage hikes [...]
From sick pay to whistleblowing: Sweeping new worker rights take effect April 6, 2026 This week marks one of the most significant shifts in employment regulations in years. From whistleblowing protections to ‘day‑one’ rights for fathers, a series of new costly rights is coming into force that businesses need to be prepared for. The government published a report earlier this year that revealed an estimated direct cost to business [...]
Reeves must listen to supermarkets rather than lecture them April 1, 2026 Supermarkets begin preparing for Christmas at least six months before the anticipated peak of customer demand hits around December 23. Catering for this entirely predictable surge is in itself an astonishing commercial and logistical feat, but a little over six years ago the UK’s supermarkets were in the midst of an unprecedented challenge. As pandemic [...]
Nine in ten hospitality job switchers quit the sector March 13, 2026 Nine in ten workers in hospitality and tourism quit the sector altogether when they switch jobs, as the hiring “churn” drives costs and dampens the industry’s productivity. As many as 87 per cent of hospitality and tourism workers who quit jobs end up leaving the industry for good, while the exit rate stands at 82 [...]
John Lewis reinstates staff bonus but remains ‘cautious’ March 12, 2026 John Lewis has returned its staff bonus after years of its suspension, as the retail titan turned a profit but remains “cautious” in a testing retail environment. The partnership, which also owns Waitrose, made a £134m profit in the year to January 2025, up six per cent from the year before, and notched growing sales [...]