Britain is unwell: Four charts explaining the UK’s long-term sick problem July 27, 2024 The topic of sick leave was back in the headlines this week after a health adviser to the government declared that the long-term sick must be forced to look for jobs to cut welfare costs and reduce the UK’s reliance on immigration.
GB Energy to work with Crown Estate to develop offshore wind farms, says government July 25, 2024 Britain’s newly created state-owned energy company, Great British Energy, is to partner with the monarchy’s property firm to help speed up the building of offshore wind farms.
Majority of Brits back idea of Labour extending £77m per year package for Team GB to have shot at Olympic Games success July 25, 2024 Two thirds of Brits back government funding being used to propel Team GB athletes to gold medals at Paris 2024. Exclusive polling shared with City A.M. shows that 67 per cent of Brits support continued state funding for athletes. That’s lower than the likes of Indonesia (91 per cent), Ireland (75 per cent) and Australia [...]
The UK economy has defied gloomy expectations. Can this continue? July 25, 2024 The UK economy has surprised pundits again and again this year, growing at a much faster rate than almost anyone had expected.
US confidence in UK business environment improves but concerns over tax grow July 24, 2024 US confidence in the UK's business environment increased for the first time in two years, according to a survey, but American firms were also increasingly nervous about the tax regime.
Will Labour’s move to hire 300 planning officers be enough to get Britain building again? July 24, 2024 Since entering office, planning reforms have been central to the new government’s attempts to stimulate higher economic growth. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already announced a number of important changes to the planning regime with more changes expected before the end of the month. Alongside these reforms, the government has committed to hire 300 extra planners [...]
Fiscal prudence? The iron chancellor doth protest too much July 24, 2024 Rachel Reeves’ decision to expand the powers of the OBR suggests apprehension, not confidence, writes Tim Focas. Rachel Reeves has promised to be an “iron chancellor” embodying fiscal constraint and discipline. Yet, her first legislative move to enhance the powers of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) raises questions about her own confidence in living [...]
HS2: Cancelling northern leg will cost £100m – and make everything worse July 23, 2024 The total cost of completing High Speed Two (HS2) could reach nearly £60bn, according to the National Audit Office.
Getting ‘everyone in the room’ won’t cut it, Labour must be ready to cause upset July 23, 2024 To govern as an ‘adult’, Labour must confront the hard decisions now and be ready to cause some controversy, writes James Nation.
GB Energy is more rooted in ‘big state’ ideology than climate ambition July 23, 2024 Conservatives need to hold Labour accountable for wasting taxpayers’ money and crowding out private finance through GB Energy, writes Sam Hall