Water bosses risk prison time as government launches crackdown September 4, 2024 Bosses of water companies who obstruct watchdog investigations could face up to two years behind bars, as the government unveils tough new laws to ramp up enforcement. The Water (Special Measures) Bill was introduced in Parliament on Wednesday and will grant sweeping new powers to the Environment Agency (EA), the Drinking Water Inspectorate and Ofwat [...]
U-turn: British ISA dropped by Labour despite prior pledges September 4, 2024 The roll-out of a British ISA has been scrapped by the new government despite Labour insisting it had “no plans” to ditch the scheme in the run up to the election. The specialist stocks and shares ISA would have allowed savers to invest an extra £5,000 tax-free in UK equities, on top of the £20,000 [...]
Non-dom policy change could lead to ‘exodus’ of wealthy investors, study finds September 4, 2024 Planned changes to the non-dom tax regime could trigger a “mass exodus” of wealthy investors from the UK, costing the taxpayer around £1bn by the end of this parliamentary term, a new report has warned. The study from Oxford Economics, which polled 72 non-doms and over 50 tax advisors, found nearly two thirds of people [...]
Labour can’t resist flirting with economic populism September 4, 2024 Keir Starmer’s closest advisors spent last week briefing journalists that this government would be straight with people, and that it would reject the “fake populism” of the Tories which, they claim, raised people’s hopes before disappointing them. Labour figures said that the Prime Minister’s doom-laden introduction to the country was more responsible than attempting to [...]
Spending without productivity improvements won’t lead to better public services September 4, 2024 Restoring the differentials in public and private sector pay to those which prevailed in 2010 without quid pro quo increases in productivity is simply stirring up trouble for the future, says Paul Ormerod The decision by the government to stuff money into the bank accounts of the train drivers and junior doctors has been widely [...]
Oasis ticket prices are none of the government’s business September 4, 2024 Labour’s plans to intervene in the market for Oasis tickets betray a basic ignorance of the principles of supply and demand, says James Price So, Sally can wait – and wait and wait online for Oasis tickets. Or Taylor Swift, or whatever a Charli XCX is. That’s what happens when there is lots of demand [...]
Pension tax relief: Reeves warned of ‘backlash’ – but offers up roadmap for firms September 3, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has declined to rule out increasing taxes on pensions in the upcoming Budget, sparking fresh warnings over “anti-growth” policies. Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Reeves refused to “speculate about what will be in the Budget” when asked to give savers “peace of mind” over rumoured annuity levies. Despite failing to give [...]
True state of the public finances continues to divide opinion September 3, 2024 The true state of Labour’s fiscal inheritance continues to divide opinion. Over the first few weeks in office, the new government has been painting a very gloomy picture of the state of the public finances. The doom-mongering reached new heights last week after Sir Keir Starmer argued the state of the public finances were “worse [...]
Workers’ rights fines will harm growth and jobs, small businesses warn September 3, 2024 The government risks “reversing economic growth” and disincentivising hiring if it pursues plans to issue “punitive” fines to businesses that breach its workers’ rights plan, industry leaders have warned. Businesses face paying thousands of pounds in fines if they fall foul of the new protections that Labour are hoping to introduce, it was revealed on [...]
‘The mood change is palpable’: UK firms feel Labour lift despite looming tax raid, says Peel Hunt September 3, 2024 The UK economy is “rebounding solidly” and the City of London is reaping the benefits of the Labour government’s ‘growth agenda’ despite fears of an looming round of swinging tax cuts, one of the Square Mile’s top investment banks has said.