Small firms splash out £25bn on tax compliance as HMRC accused of ‘poor service’ Small firms are set to stump up a combined £25bn on tax compliance this year, a leading industry body has said, as it accused HMRC of failing to answer phone calls or letters. Calls for a vast reform of the UK’s tax system have come from leading think tanks and policymakers for several years. But [...]
Spring Statement 2025: Rachel Reeves’ popularity nears Kwasi Kwarteng levels Politics Rachel Reeves’ popularity rating as Chancellor has neared Kwasi Kwarteng levels after the mini-Budget, following the Spring Statement on Wednesday. She set out £14bn in welfare and spending cuts in the House of Commons, including a £4.8bn squeeze on benefits, to restore the £9.9bn headroom she had at the Autumn Budget, which would otherwise have [...]
Jeremy Hunt: OBR ‘overly exaggerated’ Brexit impact Economics Former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has criticised the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) for making “overly exaggerated” claims about Brexit’s impact on the economy. The OBR released a series of gloomy predictions in recent years claiming that Brexit had stifled growth and wrecked trade. But Hunt has claimed that leaving the European Union has in fact [...]
Can you match the quote to the MP who said it in 2024? December 30, 2024 From election campaigning, to Labour’s first months in office, 2024 has been chock-full of memorable political moments. And for our politicians, the past 12 months have seen some memorable quotes enter the record books too. Take a look back at our 2024 quotes quiz and test your political memory.
FCA softens ‘name and shame’ plans after City backlash November 28, 2024 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has softened its controversial ‘name and shame’ plans and will take into account the damaging impact the proposals could have on companies, after furious backlash from the City and Westminster. In a statement today, the watchdog said it would set out plans for “further engagement” after its initial plans triggered [...]
Budget 2024: No10 claim Hunt trying to ‘blame referee’ as OBR row heats up October 29, 2024 Jeremy Hunt is trying to “blame the referee” amid a row over an OBR review into the previous government’s departmental spending plans, No10 has claimed. The former Chancellor has criticised the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) for choosing to publish its findings as to whether it was given adequate financial information from Conservative ministers ahead [...]
Jeremy Hunt accuses OBR of making a ‘political intervention’ over Labour’s blackhole review October 28, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has used the supposed existence of the £22bn blackhole as a justification to hike taxes in Wednesday's Budget.
Jeremy Hunt: Upping employer NI would be an ‘absolute disaster’ for economy October 22, 2024 Increasing employer national insurance contributions in the Budget would be an “absolute disaster” for Britain economically, Jeremy Hunt has warned. “I’m really worried that Labour is going to trash an economy, which has better growth prospects than it has for many years,” the shadow Chancellor told the Financial Times in an interview. On the prospect [...]
Tory conference: Hunt warns Labour against ‘catastrophic’ Budget tax hikes September 30, 2024 Jeremy Hunt has warned Labour against making “catastrophic mistakes” in the Budget and hiking up “tax in a way that destroys growth”. The shadow Chancellor issued a stark warning to the government as he spoke at the annual Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. Asked at an in-conversation event on Monday, if things could get worse, [...]
U-turn: British ISA dropped by Labour despite prior pledges September 4, 2024 The roll-out of a British ISA has been scrapped by the new government despite Labour insisting it had “no plans” to ditch the scheme in the run up to the election. The specialist stocks and shares ISA would have allowed savers to invest an extra £5,000 tax-free in UK equities, on top of the £20,000 [...]