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.
Teaching unions may come to regret Ofsted reforms September 3, 2024 Abolishing one-word Ofsted judgements could be a good thing, but not for the reasons the government says, writes David Thomas The government has abolished single-word Ofsted judgments. For now schools will get grades for each of the four sub-categories currently in use, and from next year they’ll be replaced by a report card. Unions are [...]
Supermarket and McDonald’s bosses to meet ministers over workers’ rights reforms September 2, 2024 Bosses from UK supermarkets and McDonald’s are set to meet government ministers to be updated on plans for new laws around workers rights. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds will join John Lewis CEO Nish Kankiwala; Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts; Claire Costello, chief people and inclusion officer at the Co-Op; and [...]
‘No plans’ to raise council tax but cut to discount not ruled out September 2, 2024 The government has no plans to increase English council taxes, Angela Rayner confirmed, but she declined to say whether she would scrap the single person discount to the bill. The deputy Prime Minister, who is also the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, said her government “is about making sure working people [...]
Starmer’s in power, but is he in control? September 2, 2024 Labour MPs barely had time to gather for a group photo in Westminster before the summer recess started and they were packed off back to the constituencies. The lucky ones may even have made it abroad for a holiday. Today, when they file back into the Parliament and cram themselves onto the government benches in [...]