Immigration reforms won’t solve labour shortages, businesses warn May 13, 2025 Government plans to draw back immigration levels and tighten criteria for visas will put efforts to fill labour shortages at risk, with leading industry groups urging Keir Starmer to fast-track apprenticeship reforms. The immigration white paper, which was published on Monday, set out plans to end specific care worker visas, strengthen the skills criteria needed [...]
Top private school warns Reeves’ ‘unwelcome’ tax hikes will cost millions May 13, 2025 One of the top private schools in the UK is “taking stock” as it warns Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes will cost it millions. Gresham’s School, whose former students include Sir James Dyson – who donated £35m in 2023 – added it will have to now take action to make sure it “does not become [...]
Employment levels slump as Reeves’ taxes bite May 13, 2025 Employment levels deteriorated in March, official data has suggested, in signs that Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ £20bn tax raid on employers has squeezed firms’ profits. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the number of payrolled employees fell by 53,000 over the first three months of the year. The early estimate of [...]
Scottish Widows abandons Mansion House pension funds agreement May 13, 2025 One of the UK’s largest pension funds has ditched a key agreement seen as crucial to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ push to drive growth. Scottish Widows has not signed up to the second iteration of the Mansion House Compact, despite having thrown its weight behind an earlier version of the plans. The original pact saw 11 [...]
Starmer promises to reduce migration – can he keep his word? May 12, 2025 When the prime minister took to the podium at a Downing Street press briefing this morning, he insisted that “people who like politics will try and make this all about politics.” But the PM’s speech on immigration was anything but apolitical – and he delivered it in the shadow of Nigel Farage’s recent electoral success. [...]
UK to increase ‘very high talent’ immigration in new plans May 12, 2025 The number of people arriving on “very high talent routes” will be increased despite efforts to slash immigration levels. The proposals are set out in a section titled ‘global talent’ in Labour’s immigration white paper, which was published on Monday morning and largely focussed on plans to cut net migration from a peak of over [...]
How Rachel Reeves could change the cash ISA May 12, 2025 News that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing to launch a consultation on reforms to the ISA regime in the coming weeks has swept the City, re-kindling speculation of cuts to the cash ISA limit. In the Spring Statement earlier this year, Reeves confirmed that ISA reform was on the horizon, with changes to the regime [...]
UK living standards have worsened since Labour took power, voters say May 12, 2025 Nearly half of UK voters believe that living standards have deteriorated over the last 12 months, a new poll has suggested. The Labour government is approaching a full year in office in a matter of weeks after an electoral campaign in which it promised to boost people’s personal finances. But a new poll by Freshwater [...]
Fund managers fear for the future of the London Stock Exchange May 12, 2025 Leading fund managers are warning that sentiment towards the London Stock Exchange is drastically low following a meeting with Downing Street to discuss the issue. Nick Lawson, chief executive of investment group Ocean Wall, described UK equity markets as being at “rock bottom” following a meeting with Varun Chandra, the government’s special adviser on business. [...]
Quooker: Labour’s policies are hitting our growth May 12, 2025 The boss of instant hot water tap brand Quooker has branded the Labour government “less helpful than helpful” as its decisions are dampening confidence and curtailing investment. UK managing director Stephen Johnson has revealed that rising costs, low consumer confidence and a shrinking kitchen market are making expansion increasingly difficult despite Quooker seeing another 10 [...]