Column: The challenges facing Kemi Badenoch… November 6, 2024 Politicians, the public often decry, lack real-world experience. Whether it be running a business, working in healthcare, serving in the armed forces, anything that demonstrates their ‘feet on the ground’ credentials is a plus. It covers parents too. Just look at Keir Starmer’s oft-touted “toolmaker father”; Rishi Sunak, the “son of a pharmacist; and even [...]
Kemi Badenoch appoints top team with Andrew Griffith to shadow business November 5, 2024 Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has appointed her full top team, with former City minister Andrew Griffith taking on the role of shadow business and trade secretary. The Conservative leader appointed her former rival candidates Mel Stride and Dame Priti Patel as her shadow Chancellor and shadow foreign secretary last night, as well as making Laura [...]
The NHS will soon cost more than the GDP of New Zealand November 5, 2024 Spending on health and social care will hit £200bn by the end of this parliament – more than the entire economy of New Zealand – as Britain heads towards being a £1.5 trillion state, says Emma Revell New Zealand sounds, by all accounts, like a pretty sweet country. For a start, it is one of [...]
No10 warned over risk of ‘killing off’ family-run firms November 4, 2024 Downing Street is attempting to weather a storm whipped up by entrepreneur James Dyson over changes to the inheritance tax treatment of family-run businesses. In an article in the Times, Dyson accused the government of “killing off family businesses, individual aspiration and economic growth” with their approach to death duties in the Budget. The high-profile [...]
No10 hits back as Dyson boss slams ‘ignorant’ and ‘spiteful’ Budget November 4, 2024 Sir James Dyson has branded Rachel Reeves’ first Budget “ignorant” and “spiteful” as he accused her of “killing off family businesses, individual aspiration and economic growth”. The British entrepreneur, 77, hit out at the Chancellor following the government’s first fiscal event last week, writing in the Times newspaper that Labour “hates British families”. He cautioned [...]
Thousands join march in London against water industry November 3, 2024 Thousands of campaigners flooded the streets of London on Sunday in protest against the poor quality and treatment of water in the UK. Coordinated by River Action and led by Chris Packham, the March for Clean Water saw at least 15,000 protesters filter through Westminster to urge Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take immediate action [...]
Scrapping non-dom regime branded ‘monumentally stupid’ by tax advisors November 1, 2024 Several leading tax and wealth advisors have told City AM that scrapping the non-dom regime without a suitable replacement is a “monumentally stupid decision” that has already prompted some non-doms to leave. One of the key measures introduced in Wednesday’s budget was abolishing the non-dom status, a regime that allowed certain tax breaks for people [...]
Lord Pannick to take on government over VAT decision on private schools November 1, 2024 The government is set to face Lord Pannick as legal action has commenced over its decision to charge private schools VAT on fees
Budget 2024: Why the post-match politics are risky for Labour October 31, 2024 After months of speculation, Rachel Reeves has finally unveiled Labour’s first Budget in power. Coming in the wake of 14 years in opposition, this big tax and spend – and borrow – document is very much an ideological project, with the NHS, schools and low-paid workers among the big winners. The Chancellor may have ditched [...]
Labour’s inheritance tax reforms ‘threaten the very fabric of the countryside’ October 31, 2024 In yesterday's Budget, the Chancellor announced a sweeping overhaul of the inheritance tax system, including changes to a relief which had allowed agricultural land to be passed on tax-free.