It’s not just LISAs: Stamp duty land tax is a London problem too Personal Finance Getting on the property ladder is getting harder and harder for young people. Dwindling housing supply coupled with growing demand for property has left sellers receiving offers significantly above the asking price, with squeezed buyers turning to family members to fund ballooning deposits. But the costs do not end when the keys are handed over. [...]
Paddy Power founder: Bookies ‘scaremongering’ over tax hike damage betting The betting sector is “scaremongering” over the potential damage of a tax raid on gambling, according to the retired co-founder of Paddy Power, who said he had led similar industry warnings of job losses and store closures before other mooted tax changes. Stewart Kenny, who served as chairman and chief executive at the Irish gambling [...]
Reeves to scrap two-child benefit cap Politics Rachel Reeves is poised to abolish the two-child benefit cap at next month’s Budget, in a move that will be cheered by anti-poverty campaigners but is likely to stoke bond market fears that the government is unable to reign in runaway spending and borrowing. The Chancellor is said to be exploring a new tapered system [...]
Labour deputy leader hopeful slams Rachel Reeves’ ‘excessive deference’ to OBR September 8, 2025 The prominent backbencher and former transport secretary Louise Haigh, who is a frontrunner to become the deputy leader of the Labour Party, has taken aim at Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ “excessive deference” to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) and adhering to “arbitrary fiscal targets”. Senior officials in the Labour Party are set to agree on [...]
Blaise Metreweli is a boot in the face for DEI June 23, 2025 Blaise Metreweli has been appointed as the first female head of MI6 from an all-woman shortlist composed on merit alone. It’s proof that some women don’t need DEI to break glass ceilings, says Eliot Wilson Just over a week ago, it was announced that Blaise Metreweli, a career intelligence officer currently serving as director general [...]
Luton Airport appoints former Labour cabinet minister as new chair May 5, 2025 Luton Airport has appointed former Labour cabinet minister and peer Lord John Hutton as chair as it presses ahead with plans to significantly expand capacity. Lord Hutton served in both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s cabinets as Secretary of State for Defence, Business and in the Department for Work and Pensions, where he led initiatives [...]
Starmer says UK government must ‘rise to the moment’ on tariffs April 10, 2025 The UK government needs to “rise to the moment”, Sir Keir Starmer said, adding that he would not “pretend” US President Donald Trump’s tariffs are “good news”. Speaking this morning after Trump announced a 90-day pause in his sweeping global tariffs, while raising his tax rate on Chinese imports to 125 per cent, the Prime [...]
Jimmy Carter: King Charles and PM honour former US president after his death aged 100 December 30, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has led a host of tributes to former US president Jimmy Carter, saying he “redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad”. The Prime Minister said Mr Carter, who died aged 100, will be remembered for the Camp David Accords between Israel and [...]
End ‘wild west’ of post-16 training ‘suppressing talent’, Gordon Brown urges July 16, 2024 End the “wild west” of post-16 technical education which is “suppressing talent” amid the UK’s skills shortage, Gordon Brown has urged Sir Keir Starmer.
Send in the clowns… don’t bother, they’re already here June 12, 2024 The PM’s decision to leave the D-Day commemorations early had all the hallmarks of a classic gaffe. Jessica Frank-Keyes takes us through the history of political gaffes and asks why some are more memorable than others