City sounds alarm over Starmer’s ‘painful’ Budget warning August 28, 2024 City figures have sounded the alarm over the Prime Minister’s warning of a “painful” Budget this autumn, urging him not to “punish risk takers” and warning against “taxing wealth creators”. Sir Keir Starmer delivered his first major address from the No10 Rose Garden on Tuesday as he cautioned that the state of the public finances [...]
Starmer to woo investors as new UK-Germany deal talks launched August 28, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer is set to woo major investors during a European trip which will see him launch negotiations for a major new UK-Germany treaty. The Prime Minister is set to meet bosses from Siemens Energy and Rheinmetall, as well as investors from Thales, Eutelsat, Mistral AI and Sanofi during visits to Berlin and Paris. [...]
Starmer’s civil service cronies set a dangerous precedent August 28, 2024 In appointing donors, yes-men and activists to senior roles, the Labour leader is undermining a cornerstone of our democracy: civil service impartiality, says James Price After years and years of criticising the Tories, Labour were meant to be different. We were told that they would be a breath of fresh air, restoring rectitude and ethical [...]
‘Painful’ Budget ahead, Keir Starmer warns in gloomy No10 speech August 27, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has warned Brits to expect a “painful” Budget this autumn as he insisted the state of the public finances is “worse than we ever imagined”. The Prime Minister addressed the nation from the No10 Rose Garden as he cautioned voters his government’s first fiscal statement would be “short-term pain for long-term good”. [...]
Labour’s miserable mood music comes with its own risks August 27, 2024 The last time a Labour government replaced an unpopular Tory administration it did so to the sound of Things Can Only Get Better, by D:Ream. Now, 27 years later, Keir Starmer is changing the tune with a warning that “things are going to get worse.” This stark contrast will be set out in a speech [...]
Labour should not be taking inspiration from Kamala Harris August 27, 2024 Labour has a long-standing love affair with the Democrats, but while the Vice President’s plans for price controls by any other name may be popular, but they are economically illiterate, says Eliot Wilson It is hard to believe that barely a month has passed since Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election in November [...]
UK minister urges de-escalation after Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire August 25, 2024 A major war in the Middle East is “a real danger”, a cabinet minister has warned following an escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah overnight. Early on Sunday, the Israeli military launched what it described as “pre-emptive” strikes against the militant group in southern Lebanon, saying it had detected plans to attack Israel. Hezbollah, [...]
Labour’s North Sea windfall tax plans branded a ‘blunt response’ that will hammer businesses across the UK August 22, 2024 The government’s plans for North Sea oil and gas are a “blunt response” that could jeopardise hundreds of thousands of jobs not just in the energy sector, several of the industry’s leading figures have warned. In an open letter to the Treasury, over 40 companies with operations in the North Sea voiced their “grave concern” [...]
Social rent increases may not ‘move dial’ on housebuilding, Rachel Reeves warned August 21, 2024 Rachel Reeves’ plans to increase social rent may not “move the dial in a material way” on council housebuilding, a corporate finance firm is warning. The Chancellor will reportedly up social rent by bringing in a decade-long formula to raise housing costs in England boosted by the CPI inflation measure – currently 2.2 per cent [...]
Government borrowing exceeds estimates as public sector spending jumps August 21, 2024 Monthly borrowing figures will be closely watched over the coming months for clues about how much Labour will raise taxes in October's Budget.