CMA chair pledges to speed up decision-making after government backlash January 28, 2025 The new chair of the competition watchdog has pledged to speed up its decision making and bring in outside expertise as part of plans to reshape the agency following months of criticism. Doug Gurr, a former Amazon executive who was parachuted in to lead the body after ministers ousted his predecessor last week, said “lengthy [...]
Glaring contradiction at heart of government growth agenda January 28, 2025 In the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act of 2013 (stay with me) the Competition Commission and the Office of Fair Trading were abolished, and in their place emerged the Competition and Markets Authority. The 2013 Act enshrined the regulator’s remit and responsibilities, with a hefty focus on protecting consumers. On the CMA’s website, they summarise [...]
Pension industry backs Reeves’ £160bn investment drive January 28, 2025 The pensions industry has said it is willing to back the Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ plans to unlock up to £160bn in corporate surpluses if retirees are given “appropriate protection” by the government. Reeves and the Prime Minister Keir Starmer are set to meet with business leaders in the City of London today to outline pension [...]
CMA to “brainstorm” growth ideas with business groups as pressure mounts January 27, 2025 The competition watchdog is set to be grilled by some of the UK’s biggest business bodies tomorrow as it looks to shore up confidence following the ousting of its chair by ministers last week. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which has faced anger from both the government and private sector over what has been [...]
No10: Starmer had ‘very good early engagement’ with President Trump January 27, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer has had “very good early engagement” with Donald Trump, Downing Street has said, after the leaders spoke for the first time since the US president’s inauguration. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman did not provide any updates on when Sir Keir might travel to Washington to meet the US president, or whether President [...]
How to shield your pension from Labour’s inheritance tax raid January 27, 2025 Financial advisers are cautioning against taking extreme measures in response to the government’s plans to slap inheritance tax on unspent pension pots from April 2027. However, there are some measures that savers can take as part of their overall estate planning strategy. Pension pots are usually exempt from inheritance tax. But in last October’s Budget, [...]
UK economy: Firms prepare to cut staff as they brace for slowdown, CBI says January 27, 2025 A persistent slowdown in activity among private sector firms could weigh on economic growth over the coming months, with businesses set to cut staff and raise prices, according to a survey. The upcoming increase to national insurance contributions has prompted firms to assess their budgets urgently, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said. Output across [...]
Firms finding it ‘almost impossible’ to survive after Labour tax hikes January 24, 2025 Less than three months after the Budget, critical financial distress for UK businesses climbs by 50 per cent, with the construction sector leading the table
Lawyers raise questions as Labour muscles in on legal rulings January 24, 2025 The government plans to intervene in several legal matters, including motor finance case and judicial review challenges, in a move that has some lawyers raising an eyebrow.
CMA begins redundancy programme after overshooting budget January 23, 2025 The competition watchdog is planning to slash its head count by around ten per cent after overshooting its budget last year, piling fresh pressure on the body following the sudden exit of its chair this week. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which has faced public anger from the Prime minister and Chancellor over its [...]