US tariffs: Trade secretary won’t rule out cuts to digital services tax March 27, 2025 Jonathan Reynolds has refused to rule out cutting the digital services tax on major tech firms, amid the prospect of looming US trade tariffs. The business and trade secretary insisted the UK government was “committed to ensuring tech companies pay a fair amount of tax in the UK”, but added that the digital services tax [...]
US tariffs: Reynolds urges ‘cool heads’ over trade negotiations March 27, 2025 Jonathan Reynolds has said it is a time for “cool heads” as the UK engages with the US over tariff plans despite holding a “different set of views” on trade policy. It comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the UK is not planning “at the moment” to introduce retaliatory tariffs on the US, after President [...]
Week in Business: Trump’s tariffs add insult to injury after Spring Statement March 27, 2025 City AM Editor Christian May casts his eye over the Chancellor's Spring Statement and asks whether Donald Trump has just derailed her agenda.
UK car output dips as Trump auto tariffs loom March 27, 2025 Production of cars and commercial vehicles saw an alarming 11.6 per cent decline in February, according to new data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Just 82,178 vehicles were produced – a drop of 10,787 from February 2024 – in the 12th consecutive month of falling auto manufacturing output. There was a [...]
Spring Statement 2025: Rachel Reeves won’t rule out tax hikes at next Budget March 26, 2025 Rachel Reeves has declined to rule out hiking taxes at her next Budget, amid growing pushback from Labour MPs over welfare cuts in the wake of her Spring Statement. The Chancellor told reporters at a press conference that she was focused on growing the economy, despite speculation she will have to find more revenue to [...]
Once upon a time, Spring Statement day was fun March 25, 2025 Once upon a time, Spring Statement day was fun. Now, as an early-stage entrepreneur, it just fills me with dread, writes Michael Martins in today's Notebook.
Analysis: Why Reeves faces political pressure over the Spring Statement March 25, 2025 Over the next 24 hours, Rachel Reeves will be putting the finishing touches to Wednesday’s Spring Statement. It marks her second fiscal event as Chancellor, and – despite the promised manifesto commitment of “one major fiscal event a year” – the economic backdrop, and wider political pressure, makes it hard to see the contents of [...]
Editor’s Interview: Charles Tyrwhitt founder – ‘No point whinging about the government’ March 24, 2025 The founder of Charles Tyrwhitt, Nick Wheeler, has told City AM that there’s “no point whinging about what the government are doing or not doing, because they’re not going to change,” adding “I’ve got to get on and make my own decisions.” His comments came during an interview with City AM in which he lamented [...]
Reeves weighs tech tax overhaul to avert US tariffs March 23, 2025 The UK government is exploring potential adjustments to its digital services tax (DST) to avert further tariffs from the US, Rachel Reeves confirmed. The DST, which targets global tech heavyweights like Meta, Google and Amazon, has raised around £800m a year since its introduction in 2020. Yet, with President Donald Trump set to announce new [...]
Davey warns against scrapping tax on tech companies to ‘appease’ Trump March 23, 2025 Sir Ed Davey has warned against “appeasement” of Donald Trump amid reports Labour could change or ditch a tax on tech companies to avoid US tariffs. Chancellor Rachel Reeves did not deny the option was on the table after reports the UK is talking to the US about the digital services tax to seek a [...]