Unhappy New Year? 72 per cent say UK ‘going in wrong direction’ January 7, 2025 Keir Starmer’s chances of a New Year reset have been dealt a blow with new research revealing a lack of confidence in the government’s economic policies. The first of a new monthly City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll found that 72 per cent of voters say the UK is going in the “wrong direction”, including 53 per [...]
Six months on, Labour’s pledge to restore trust in politics has proven nonsense January 7, 2025 Six months on, where have Labour's promises of radical reform gone, asks James Chapman in today's Notebook.
Our polling shows hope of ‘change’ has turned to despair for Labour January 7, 2025 The inaugural City AM / Freshwater Strategy poll makes grim reading for Keir Starmer as almost three-quarters believe the UK is heading in the wrong direction The inaugural City AM / Freshwater Strategy poll makes grim reading for Keir Starmer. As the Prime Minister returns from the Madeira sun to snowy London, he is met [...]
Small firms slash jobs on fears of employment rights bill January 6, 2025 An alarming number of businesses have become increasingly concerned about the future of the UK’s workforce under the new Labour government’s employment reforms. A fresh survey of 1,270 small employers by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has revealed over 90 per cent are worried about the implications of the Employment Rights Bill. A majority [...]
Tulip Siddiq: City minister referred herself to watchdog over property questions January 6, 2025 Tulip Siddiq has referred herself to the government’s standards watchdog over questions about her use of properties linked to the deposed Bangladeshi leader, Keir Starmer said. The City minister has come under increasing pressure after it emerged she had been given a London flat and lived in another property with links to her aunt, former [...]
Labour’s China ‘audit’ is pointless. We already know Starmer’s stance on Beijing January 4, 2025 Labour has clearly settled on its stance towards Beijing, let's give up the "audit" nonsense, writes Eliot Wilson.
Why we don’t know how much a ‘National Care Service’ could cost UK January 3, 2025 Health secretary Wes Streeting has unveiled the government’s latest move towards reform of the UK’s social care system. Taking the form of an independent commission into the issue, led by Baroness Louise Casey, the review – reporting in 2026 and 2028 – will aim to build “cross-party consensus” for the creation of a new National [...]
Firms hiring low-wage workers set for tax bill hike, CPS think tank warns January 3, 2025 The cost of employing low-wage workers is set to hit a record high in 2025, according to new analysis. Businesses employing low-wage workers will see their tax bills soar, the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) has warned, after research found the rise in employer’s national insurance contributions (NICs) led to a 60 per cent tax [...]
Spectre of another Labour tax raid haunts savers January 2, 2025 83 per cent of customers surveyed by the retail investment platform said they were either very concerned or somewhat concerned about tax increases in 2025.
Retail insolvencies set to surge as Budget bites, experts warn December 30, 2024 A wave of insolvencies could be coming to the retail and hospitality sectors next year as businesses crumble under the tax bill brought on by Labour’s Budget, bosses have warned. Insolvencies and restructuring could rise further over the start of 2025 as firms face increased cost pressures, industry experts have said, with the retail, hospitality [...]