It’s hard work working out what ‘working people’ means October 22, 2024 Politicians do like to lump people together. In recent years we’ve had the squeezed middle, the just-about-managing, hard working families and (who could forget?) Nick Clegg’s “alarm clock Britain.” To this list of amorphous jargon we must now add “working people.” Labour figures have been leaning on the phrase for months, not least as part [...]
Health minister says NHS set for technology transformation October 21, 2024 Health secretary Wes Streeting has announced plans for digital patient records which will make health data available to all NHS hospitals, GPs and ambulance services in England. It came as he launched a major consultation on the government’s plans to transform the NHS from“analogue to digital” in the next decade amid privacy fears over data [...]
Budget: Minister refuses to rule out tax rise for £100,000 earners nine times October 21, 2024 A government minister has refused to rule out whether Labour would increase taxes on those earning more than £100,000 at the Budget. Speaking to Sky News, care minister Stephen Kinnock refused nine times to say whether – under Labour’s definition – someone earning a six figure salary would see their taxes go up. Labour’s election [...]
Reeves tax raid ‘risks harming UK economy’, top business groups warn October 21, 2024 Some of the country’s top business groups have warned that Rachel Reeves’s rumoured plans to ditch a slew of tax breaks for entrepreneurs at the budget “risk harming” the economy and dissuading founders from setting up companies in Britain. In an open letter to the Chancellor today, four business groups representing over 1200 UK founders and investors, [...]
UK banks brace for Budget tax raid despite lobbying efforts October 21, 2024 UK banks are bracing for a tax raid in Labour's maiden Budget as new analysis reveals the sector is already paying a significantly higher rate than counterparts in the US and EU.
Government should consider Post Office mutualisation, ex-minister says October 20, 2024 The government should consider plans to turn the Post Office into a John Lewis-style mutual, a former business minister has said, amid reports Whitehall is looking at the viability. Conservative shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake has said he would support a proposal to transform the Post Office’s business structure into a mutual in which customers [...]
Ministers to oversee HS2 amid warnings of ‘dire delivery failure’ October 20, 2024 Ministers will oversee work on HS2, the government has announced, as the transport secretary warned costs had spiralled out of control. Louise Haigh has announced urgent action to bring the cost and delivery of the high speed route from London to Birmingham back under control. It comes as the Sunday Times revealed leaked documents marked [...]
UK faces ‘make or break moment’ in Budget as Swinney calls for spending October 20, 2024 Scotland’s First Minister will use a speech on Monday to urge the Chancellor to increase spending, as he said the Budget presents a “make or break moment” for the UK. Rachel Reeves will present the new Labour Government’s tax and spending plans on October 30, as she seeks to close a £40bn gap in the [...]
Reeves to hike tax on UK founders looking to sell October 19, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly plotting to hike taxes for entrepreneurs selling their businesses as part of her strategy to plug a £40bn fiscal “black hole”. In her upcoming Budget, Reeves is considering cutting a policy known as the business asset disposal relief, according to Bloomberg. The tax relief currently allows entrepreneurs to pay a [...]
UK needs ‘more diplomacy’ with China, says Lammy October 19, 2024 The UK approach to China needs “more diplomacy, not less”, the Foreign Secretary has said on his first official visit to the country. David Lammy said the Government would bring “consistency” to relations with China, adding there had not been “sufficient contact” between London and Beijing under his predecessors, particularly on human rights issues. His [...]