Government leaking Covid economic policy erodes public trust, think tank warns April 23, 2021 Treasury’s leaking of Covid-19 recovery policies to some media outlets weeks in advance, while keeping tight lipped on important details, risks eroding public trust, a leading economic think tank has warned. A new report by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr) said the current method has led to serious fiscal failures and [...]
Hand it over: David Cameron ordered to show lobbying text messages April 21, 2021 Former prime minister David Cameron has been given two weeks to pass on the details of his text messages in which he attempted to lobby the chancellor on behalf of failed finance firm Greensill. In a letter to Cameron, the chairman of the Treasury select committee urged the former prime minister to release details of [...]
Number 10 defends taxpayer-funded vaccine film April 14, 2021 Number 10 has defended the production of a taxpayer-funded film documenting the UK’s “extraordinary” vaccine rollout, insisting it was produced in-house and within departmental budgets. The trailer for A Beacon Of Hope: The UK Vaccine Story was released more than four weeks ago, with the full version billed as “coming soon”. The 30-minute film was originally [...]
The fight for the City: Can Labour challenge the orthodoxy of a pro-business Conservative Party March 26, 2021 Free market purists dismiss it as “woke capitalism”. But could a thriving concern in the City for the health of the planet and for social justice pose an opportunity for the Labour Party? The Square Mile is traditionally caricatured as Tory territory – never an entirely accurate assumption, given its young, multicultural workforce with a [...]
Rishi Sunak: Workers will quit if they can’t return to offices, chancellor warns March 26, 2021 Employers may face an exodus of staff if they implement a permanent remote-working strategy after lockdown, the chancellor warned. Rishi Sunak said workers should be allowed to return to offices or they may “vote with their feet” and leave the firm for an employer that encourages face-to-face working. He said offices allow meetings to “happen [...]
Government launches search for new UKGI chair March 23, 2021 The Treasury has launched a search to replace the outgoing chair of UK Government Investments (UKGI), the Whitehall agency responsible for taxpayer investments. Headhunting firm Odgers Berndtson has kicked off a search to find Robert Swannell’s successor, Sky News reported, with the current UKGI head set to step down after seven years at the helm. [...]
Rishi Sunak defends Eat Out To Help Out but rules out repeat this summer March 12, 2021 The chancellor has defended last year’s Eat Out To Help Out scheme despite concerns it caused a spike in coronavirus cases, though he ruled out reintroducing it after lockdown restrictions are lifted. In evidence to MPs yesterday, Rishi Sunak that there was so much “pent-up” demand for meals and pints out among consumers that there [...]
NHS workers were originally set for 2.1 per cent pay rise, says chief executive March 9, 2021 NHS staff were originally in line to receive a 2.1 per cent pay rise before the pandemic, the health body’s chief executive has said. The government sparked widespread outrage last week after ministers announced health workers were set to receive a 1 per cent pay rise this year. Labour said the annual increase amounted to [...]
Budget 2021: Main points in Rishi Sunak’s announcement March 4, 2021 The chancellor unveiled the contents of his Budget in the Commons this afternoon, announcing a raft of new support measures alongside plans to shore up Britain’s finances in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Rishi Sunak doubled down on his commitment to do “whatever it takes” to protect lives and livelihoods as he set out [...]
Budget 2021: Public support Sunak’s measures, according to YouGov poll March 3, 2021 Budget 2021: Public support Sunak's measures, according to YouGov poll