‘Unproven’ green tech to have significant impact on energy bills, MPs warn February 7, 2025 Government investment into “unproven” carbon capture schemes is set to have a “very significant effect” on households’ energy bills, an influential group of MPs is warning. Ministers have backed investment into carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) schemes in a bid to achieve the UK’s legally mandated climate goals, including net zero by 2050. But [...]
‘Doing a day’s work seen as stressful’ by youth, Liz Kendall says February 7, 2025 The UK must avoid a situation where “doing a day’s work is in itself seen as stressful” by young people, Liz Kendall has warned. The work and pensions secretary has told ITV: “There is genuinely a problem with many young people, particularly the Covid generation, but we can’t have a situation where doing a day’s [...]
Stagflation: Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces mess of her own making February 7, 2025 The Bank now expects the UK economy to grow 0.7 per cent this year, cut from a previous estimate of 1.5 per cent. Inflation, meanwhile, will hit 3.7 per cent later this year.
The FCA’s bond market reforms don’t go far enough February 7, 2025 The FCAs plans to make it easier for companies to issue smaller bonds are a step in the right direction, but if the UK truly wants to unlock its corporate bond market for retail investors, more must be done, says Tim Focas The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) plans to cut red tape around the corporate [...]
UK construction activity falls sharply as confidence plunges February 6, 2025 UK construction activity fell sharply in January, ending a 10-month streak of expansion as higher borrowing costs, gloomy economic prospects and weak client confidence hit the sector. S&P Global’s UK Construction Purchasing Managers Index fell to 48.1 last month, down from 53.3 in December and well below the 53.4 expected by analysts. “The overall construction [...]
Is Reeves heading for a fiscal car crash? February 6, 2025 Rachel Reeves has a deep respect for officialdom and institutions and was aghast at the way Liz Truss simply ignored the Office for Budget Responsibility when putting together her doomed ‘mini Budget.’ Cast your mind back to the early days of the Truss administration (which, as it turned out, weren’t very far from the final [...]
Overhaul of planning barriers to nuclear power, Starmer announces February 6, 2025 An overhaul of planning barriers to make it easier to build new nuclear power plants has been announced by Keir Starmer. The move will create thousands of highly skilled jobs, the government said, as the Prime Minister confirmed red tape would be “slashed” in a bid to fast-track approval of reactors. It is set to [...]
Fun-police Labour are waging a war on pubs February 6, 2025 From business rates to labour costs and even employment regulations that could require landlords to clamp down on free speech, this Labour government has launched an all-out assault on pubs, says Chris Philp For millions of Londoners – especially those who WFH on Friday – when the end of week in the office comes into [...]
To understand Labour’s challenge on investment, look to Saint Matthew February 6, 2025 Why are all the infrastructure projects the Chancellor wants to invest in in the South? James Nations says the answer can be found in Matthew’s Gospel: “for to everyone who has, more shall be given”… With the Chancellor wanting to move the conversation on from last year’s doom and gloom, she might be pleased to [...]
City minister takes aim at cash ISAs in call to back the stock market February 5, 2025 The City minister lamented the hundreds of billions of pounds stashed away in cash ISAs today as she called for Brits to invest more money in London’s ailing stock market. Speaking to the Lord financial regulation committee, Emma Reynolds, who took over the role of City minister last month, said the UK had “failed to [...]