Starmer needs a rethink, not a relaunch December 4, 2024 It doesn’t take a huge stretch of the imagination to picture a communist bureaucrat issuing a decree: “Comrades, I can announce today that four years from now 92 per cent of routine operations will be carried out within our new national target of just four and a half months – realising a goal that has [...]
Changing tune: Now Reeves refuses to rule out future tax rises December 3, 2024 Rachel Reeves has repeatedly declined to guarantee that there will be no more borrowing or tax rises following her first Budget, despite being pressed by MPs on her previous pledge. Speaking at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference in November, the Chancellor sought to reassure business leaders that there would be no repeat of [...]
Barclays boss insists Budget has been a ‘success’ despite gloomy forecasts December 3, 2024 The chief executive of Barclays has said Rachel Reeves’s tax-raising Budget has been a “success” so far, arguing it will likely boost economic growth in the longer term despite a raft of gloomy forecasts. Speaking at the Financial Times’ Global Banking Summit on Tuesday, CS “Venkat” Venkatakrishnan said markets for government debt suggested the Autumn [...]
London risks losing its crown to New York December 3, 2024 The city that never sleeps is outpacing London – where pubs close at 10.30pm – on almost every measure. Even its Christmas tree is bigger, says Emma Revell As we enter December, London should come into its own. The lights are up on Oxford Street, the Christmas tree has arrived in Trafalgar Square and the [...]
Ministers must act to slow London Stock Exchange investor ‘exodus’, says Peel Hunt chief December 2, 2024 Ministers must do more to stop the “exodus” of cash from the London Stock exchange after 41 consecutive months of outflows from UK equity funds, the boss of Peel Hunt has warned. In an interview with City AM, Steven Fine, who heads the AIM-listed broking house, said the speed of money leaving the market was [...]
Keir Starmer accused of ‘sidelining’ pledge to secure fastest growth in G7 December 2, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of “sidelining” his pledge for the UK to have the fastest growth in the G7 ahead of a set of new targets aimed at making Brits feel richer. The Prime Minister has been criticised for appearing to ditch the “key election pledge” in what a Tory opponent told The [...]
Business leaders brace for a cold winter December 2, 2024 Temperatures are set to fall again as a mid-week cold snap muscles in, bringing icy winds to accompany the latest batch of chilling economic data. Several business organisations have just released their latest research, and the findings ought to chill the blood of complacent government ministers. Since the Budget, City AM has reported daily on [...]
Budget could wipe out 125,000 jobs in family businesses December 2, 2024 The government’s move to limit inheritance tax relief for family-owned businesses could cost Britain roughly 125,000 jobs and significantly reduce economic activity, new research has found. The change unveiled in Labour’s first Budget could reduce the value of goods and services produced across the UK economy by £9.4bn and incur a £1.3bn net loss for [...]
‘Losing faith’: Just one in four bosses has confidence in government December 2, 2024 Just one in four bosses has confidence in the government to deliver economic growth, in a sign firms are “losing faith” in ministers’ strategy. A London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) snap poll found 81 per cent of business leaders said they were not confident the government will address firms’ concerns. While 77 per [...]
Sea of tax changes? Why getting your ducks in a row on pensions is vital December 2, 2024 Inheritance tax changes may feel a long way away, but sooner is better when it comes to structuring your assets to pass on as much wealth as possible to your loved ones, says Duncan Bailey The Budget has given businesses and individuals much to consider with announcements made around spending, national insurance contributions for employers [...]