Ministers either don’t understand private sector, or don’t care November 11, 2024 No politician could actually get away with telling businesses to “suck it up” when they warn about the impact of tax rises, though Labour’s Darren Jones came dangerously close yesterday, airily telling the BBC that bigger businesses can handle higher costs. While it’s true that they’ll find a way to pay these new taxes and [...]
Business Budget backlash builds as hospitality giants write to Chancellor November 11, 2024 The government is under increasing pressure to revisit its hikes to employer national insurance contributions and the minimum wage after a number of the UK’s largest employers voiced concerns about the impact of the changes on their costs and operations. Over 200 of the UK’s biggest hospitality businesses signed a letter to the Chancellor yesterday [...]
The real reason Britain doesn’t build November 11, 2024 Planning isn’t the only reason we have a housing shortage, too many developments just aren’t economically viable, says Melanie Leech The government is undoubtedly right to focus its efforts on reforming the planning system. Ask the anyone in the property industry and they will say that the system is complex, burdensome, under-resourced, and prone to [...]
NHS must be weaned off ‘more, more, more’ culture, warns Alan Milburn November 9, 2024 Alan Milburn, who ran the department under Tony Blair, warned that the NHS was “drinking in the last-chance saloon” .
Starmer appoints Jonathan Powell as UK national security adviser November 8, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has appointed Tony Blair’s former chief of staff Jonathan Powell as his national security adviser. The Cabinet Office confirmed the former Foreign Office diplomat and No10 chief operator would take on the key role advising the Prime Minister in an announcement today. It comes amid the re-election of Donald Trump as US [...]
Bank of England and Fed to cut interest rates despite fiscal fears November 6, 2024 The Bank held rates at its last meeting in September, but signalled that further cuts were on the way if there continued to be progress on inflation.
Stamp duty hike: a ‘bitter but manageable pill to swallow’ for UK landlords November 5, 2024 Last week’s Budget announcement raised Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) to five per cent tax, yet household landlords seem unfazed. London-based estate agent Benham and Reeves carried a survey to find out how UK landlords reacted to this hike. Concerns about potential hikes in capital gains tax (CGT) on property investments weighed heavily on landlords [...]
Hospitality bosses warn government tax hikes will hit investment November 5, 2024 According to reports, business leaders have warned the government that the tax rises announced in Labour’s Autumn budget will lead to a huge increase in costs and a fall in investment. The bosses of large retail and hospitality firms like Fuller’s, Greene King and Morrisons have warned business secretary Jonathan Reynolds that last week’s budget [...]
Retail sales growth slumps in October as consumers remain cautious November 5, 2024 Retail sales growth dipped in October due to pre-election anxiety, the latest figures have shown. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-KPMG sales monitor, retail sales in the UK increased by 0.6 per cent year over year in October, compared to 2.6 per cent growth in October 2023. Food sales nudged up 2.9 per cent [...]
The NHS will soon cost more than the GDP of New Zealand November 5, 2024 Spending on health and social care will hit £200bn by the end of this parliament – more than the entire economy of New Zealand – as Britain heads towards being a £1.5 trillion state, says Emma Revell New Zealand sounds, by all accounts, like a pretty sweet country. For a start, it is one of [...]