South Western Railway, C2C and Greater Anglia to be nationalised in 2025 December 4, 2024 SWR will come under state ownership in May, followed by C2C and Greater Anglia in July and autumn 2025, respectively.
New top civil service boss named to replace Simon Case December 2, 2024 Sir Chris Wormald, a former health department boss, has been named as the new head of the UK’s civil service and cabinet secretary. Downing Street confirmed the appointment of Sir Chris, who will replace Simon Case in the head of the civil service role, advertised with a £200,000 salary, this afternoon. Wormald has led the [...]
‘Losing faith’: Just one in four bosses has confidence in government December 2, 2024 Just one in four bosses has confidence in the government to deliver economic growth, in a sign firms are “losing faith” in ministers’ strategy. A London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) snap poll found 81 per cent of business leaders said they were not confident the government will address firms’ concerns. While 77 per [...]
Business leaders brace for a cold winter December 2, 2024 Temperatures are set to fall again as a mid-week cold snap muscles in, bringing icy winds to accompany the latest batch of chilling economic data. Several business organisations have just released their latest research, and the findings ought to chill the blood of complacent government ministers. Since the Budget, City AM has reported daily on [...]
The government is steamrolling family farms December 2, 2024 Ministers appear to have got their understanding of farming from Ladybird books filled with smiling yokels on little red tractors, says Tim Bonner The starting point for trying to understand the current row over inheritance tax and agricultural land is that farming is an essentially illogical activity. The return on assets in farming businesses is [...]
Labour urged to scrap ‘vindictive’ farm tax as Tories set to force vote December 1, 2024 Labour MPs are being urged to back scrapping the “vindictive” changes to inheritance tax (IHT) on farms, as the Conservative Party prepares to bring a vote on the issue. Tory MPs are set to use their opposition day debate on Wednesday, December 4, to insist Parliament hold a vote on Labour’s controversial move for farmers [...]
Starmer to unveil ‘mission’ milestones and compares Whitehall to ‘oil tanker’ December 1, 2024 The Prime Minister will set out a “plan for change” with milestones set in key policy areas, or ‘missions’ to achieve the targets laid out in Labour’s manifesto, Downing Street has said. Sir Keir Starmer will this week kick off what he called the “next phase” of his government, and announce the markers for achieving [...]
Keir Starmer to set out ‘plan for change’ with ‘milestones’ for key missions November 30, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer will set out a “plan for change” with milestones set in key policy areas to achieve the targets laid out in Labour’s manifesto, Downing Street has said. The Prime Minister will this week kick off what he has called the “next phase” of Government, as he announces the markers for his “missions” [...]
Stellantis closure: UK carmakers face ‘global’ challenges, Reynolds warns November 27, 2024 UK carmakers are facing “global challenges”, Jonathan Reynolds has warned, in the wake of Vauxhall owner Stellantis announcing plans to close its Luton plant. The business secretary said issues in the industry amid the shift to electric vehicles weren’t limited to the firm and insisted ministers did “everything we possibly could” to avert closure. Dutch [...]
Starmer refuses to rule out further tax rises or more borrowing November 27, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has refused to rule out further tax rises or additional borrowing when challenged to repeat his Chancellor’s pledge not to “come back with more”. During Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Conservative opposition leader Kemi Badenoch asked Starmer about Rachel Reeves’ words. She said: “At the Confederation [...]