London must be given power to direct its economy to arrest historic productivity decline, study urges March 2, 2023 London must be given greater power to direct its economy by central government to arrest a historic productivity decline, a new report out today has urged. Handing the capital more sway over tax and spending decisions, peeling back onerous planning rules and boosting graduate migration would help London return to being an economic growth engine [...]
Labour to reform apprenticeship levy, Angela Rayner tells business leaders March 1, 2023 Labour will reform the unpopular apprenticeship levy, Angela Rayner pledged at a key business summit today. The scheme, which firms have described as a “£3.5bn mistake”, means companies with a payroll of £3m or above have to put aside 0.5 per cent to spend on apprenticeships. But firms say the rules around training types mean [...]
London to be crippled by fresh tube strike on budget day as RMT joins Aslef walkout March 1, 2023 Further London Underground Tube strikes are set to hit the capital on Budget Day this month. Underground workers will walkout on March 15, when chancellor Jeremy Hunt will announce the government’s financial plans for the next year, amid a row over pensions, jobs and pay. It comes after Tube drivers with the Aslef union announced [...]
London businesses sweat over UK recession risk as experts warn on cost of living pressures February 28, 2023 Uncertainty over whether the UK economy will tip into recession this year has led London businesses to sweat over their finances this year, a closely watched survey out today reveals. Optimism among the capital’s companies slid 19 points in February to 18 per cent, arresting a steady upward rise in confidence, according to Lloyds Bank’s [...]
London to power UK economy away from recession and clinch best growth across the country February 27, 2023 London will power the UK economy out of recession and is poised to be the fastest growing area in the country over the coming years, new forecasts out today reveal. The capital’s economy is on track to expand 2.6 per cent each year between 2024 and 2026, pushing it to the top of the countrywide [...]
Sadiq Khan refuses to ditch ULEZ expansion plan at London budget meeting February 23, 2023 Sadiq Khan has refused to ditch the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) today following a marathon five-hour meeting to agree London’s £19bn budget. London assembly members met today to agree the mayor’s plans for running the capital’s finances over the next year – including cash for the Met Police, TfL and firefighters. [...]
Law firms help drive record demand for London office space February 23, 2023 Law firms, accounting firms and consultancies acquired a record 2.5m sq ft of central London office space in 2022, following a boom in the professional services sector’s revenues. London’s top services firms took up 50 per cent more office space last year than in 2021, as the sector capitalised on an “unprecedented” surge in demand, [...]
UK tech firm numbers double in two years – with London start-up growth lower than nearly all other regions February 22, 2023 The number of newly-created UK tech firms is up by a fifth, with London marginally below the national average. There were 46,474 new tech companies created in Britain in 2022, up from 38,240 in 2021. Based on data from Companies House, the uptick in registrations of new firms is almost double that of 2020, when [...]
Four rebel Labour MPs reveal opposition to Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion plans February 15, 2023 Mayor Sadiq Khan’s plans to expand ULEZ has hit a further roadblock after four Labour MPs came out against the scheme. Seema Malhotra, Jon Cruddas, Siobhain McDonagh and Abena Oppong-Asare all told LBC they had concerns about the policy’s impact. Khan wants to extend the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) and the £12.50 daily charge [...]
Hunt must tackle worker shortage hobbling London’s economy, business groups warn February 13, 2023 London’s economy is being hamstrung by a chronic worker shortage that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt needs to tackle at the 15 March budget, a new report from Britain’s biggest business lobby groups highlighted today. Nearly two in three of the capital’s firms are struggling to fill vacancies, according to research carried out by BusinessLDN, Federation of [...]