Labour conference: Reeves and Reynolds to unveil industrial strategy following ‘Budget for investment’ September 23, 2024 Rachel Reeves has announced the government will unveil its long-promised industrial strategy next month, as she vowed to deliver a “Budget for investment”. The Chancellor took an upbeat tone as she stressed that her “optimism for Britain burns brighter than ever”. Ahead of the October 30 Budget, she argued: “Growth is the challenge, and investment [...]
UK economy: Growth continues but budget concerns ‘jangling nerves’ September 23, 2024 PMIs, which measure business activity in the private sector, are closely watched for clues about the economy’s performance.
Labour conference: Reeves challenged over consumer ‘fear and foreboding’ September 23, 2024 Rachel Reeves has been challenged over claims the government has “generated a fear and foreboding” among consumers – but insisted she was “optimistic” about the economy. Ahead of her keynote speech to the Labour Party conference in Liverpool today, the Chancellor was challenged on Sky News over last week’s fall in consumer confidence to the [...]
Labour’s public investment quandary September 23, 2024 Many economists think low levels of investment have contributed to the UK's sluggish productivity growth, particularly since the financial crisis.
AI companies are racing to rescue the NHS September 23, 2024 An official review by Lord Darzi revealed recently that the NHS is in “critical condition” following years of underfunding. The review found that the NHS is battling soaring demand, poor productivity, financial pressures and low staff morale. “It’s not just the state of our National Health Service in crisis – it’s also the state of [...]
Donations a ‘feature of our politics’, Angela Rayner tells BBC amid gifts row September 22, 2024 Donations to MPs are “a feature of our politics”, Angela Rayner has insisted amid a row over Labour politicians accepting gifts and freebies. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had come in for criticism in the past week over accepting more than £100,000-worth of gifts, including tickets to football matches, concerts and luxury clothes. But he, [...]
Starmer arrives at Labour conference with promise to rebuild UK September 21, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer said Labour was “rebuilding our country”, as he arrived at his party’s conference intent on shifting attention away from rows over donations and internal No 10 infighting. The Prime Minister said “change has started” as he arrived at the Liverpool conference centre. But the feel-good factor of Labour’s landslide win in July’s [...]
‘Spoonful of sugar’ to come with Budget medicine, Labour mayor suggests September 21, 2024 A Labour mayor has said he thinks there will be “a spoonful of sugar along with the medicine” in the Budget next month. Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, told the PA news agency he believes economic growth will be delivered “through our combined authorities and through devolution”, but it could be “very [...]
Plan to restrict employers from contacting staff out of hours ‘backed by public’ September 21, 2024 Most people support the Government’s plans to restrict employers from contacting staff outside working hours, new research suggests. Only 17 per cent of 2,000 adults surveyed opposed the move. The polling by Survation, commissioned by think tank the Autonomy Institute, showed that support was highest in the South East. Autonomy called on the Government to [...]
‘No doubt’ of inheritance tax reform as government books a record haul from the levy September 20, 2024 New figures from HMRC showed inheritance tax receipts hit £3.5bn between April and August, £300m higher than the same period last year.