Autumn Statement 2014: Forget a new fiscal rule – George Osborne should beef up the Office for Budget Responsibility to ensure real prudence December 2, 2014 George Osborne has made his name with a commitment to fiscal prudence, backed up by tough cuts to public services. In today’s Autumn Statement, he is expected to reinforce that reputation by announcing a formal target, backed by law, to eliminate the current structural deficit by 2017-18, a year earlier than previously forecast. There are [...]
Autumn Statement 2014: Fun for all the family – interactive Osborne bingo December 2, 2014 As George Osborne prepares to deliver his final Autumn Statement before next year’s general election, City A.M. is focusing on the important questions – will this be another one for “hard-working families”? Or is it just “ordinary people” he wants to help this year? We’ve put his favourite phrases into our chancellor-o-matic to create Autumn [...]
“All in this together” takes a back seat as “long term economic plan” and immigration top odds on Osborne’s most likely Autumn Statement phrases December 1, 2014 Are we all in this together? Not any more. The phrase beloved by Cameron and Co has fallen to its longest odds yet when it comes to the likelihood of it appearing in this year’s Autumn Statement at 4/1. It looks like the Conservatives' long-term economic plan is still on track, though, with Ladbrokes giving [...]
George Osborne puts his money on roadbuilding and reveals Stonehenge tunnel plans November 30, 2014 Chancellor George Osborne will today unveil plans to build a tunnel under historic landmark Stonehenge, as he sets out how £15bn will be spent to overhaul British roads. The announcement marks the end of a long-running battle for a tunnel at the site, after plans were dropped seven years ago because of cost. Deputy prime [...]
Autumn Statement 2014: George Osborne could pull a small rabbit out of the hat November 30, 2014 STAMP DUTY George Osborne could choose to reform stamp duty on Wednesday – a crowd-pleasing policy that wouldn’t have to hit Treasury coffers hard. The most likely option for the chancellor would be to change the slab-like structure of the tax by only charging a higher rate on the amount spent over each threshold, rather [...]
NHS: George Osborne to promise an extra £2bn of funding November 30, 2014 Chancellor George Osborne is expected use his Autumn statement on Wednesday to announce an extra £2bn funding for frontline NHS services. It is anticipated that Osborne will pledge extra funding from April next year, according to the BBC. In a speech to parliament on Wednesday, when he will deliver exact details on its [...]
Airports call for George Osborne to scrap air passenger duty or risk losing jobs to Scotland November 27, 2014 Airports in the north of England have appealed to the chancellor to scrap air passenger duty (APD) in his Autumn Statement next week, following the announcement yesterday that Scotland will be free to get rid of the tax as part of devolution plans. Three key airports in the north have all made appeals to [...]
Labour’s VAT jibe is political hot air, George Osborne won’t bite November 26, 2014 It’s that time of year again folks. The Christmas adverts have taken root on our TV screens and Marks and Spencer has its “tastefully festive” album playing in store. That’s right, the Autumn Statement is just around the corner and boy what a stocking full of goodies the chancellor is preparing to give away this [...]
George Osborne under fire for seven day current account switching service timidity November 25, 2014 George Osborne is expected to tweak the seven day current account switching scheme to iron out some of the wrinkles in the system, in his Autumn Statement next week. But the changes did not go nearly far enough to open up the market to competition, the Yorkshire Building Society said. And consumer group Which? also called [...]
Ditch the structural deficit: Why Osborne has struggled to hit this moving target November 24, 2014 FALL-OUT from the Autumn Statement next week is likely to focus heavily on the slowdown in deficit reduction. Borrowing has been £3.7bn higher this year so far compared with last, and it looks unlikely that George Osborne will hit his fiscal target for 2014-15. But the key number the media will focus on is the [...]