‘Why single out banks?’: Santander chief hits out at UK tax regime June 8, 2026 The boss of Santander has branded the UK’s tax regime on banks as making “no economic sense” as speculation mounts that the industry could be turned to for a quick cash grab if the Labour government lurches to the left. Ana Botín, the chief executive of the Spanish banking giant, has said the UK tax [...]
£4.5bn black market cigarette tax loss should be ‘a major wake-up call’ for Labour June 4, 2026 Over half of cigarettes smoked in the UK are black market and are contributing £4.5bn to the country’s tax losses – a record high – according to new analysis from KPMG and tobacco giant Philip Morris. The findings show that 1.5bn more black-market, tax-free cigarettes were consumed by UK smokers last year compared to 2024, [...]
In 23 months Labour has dragged the UK economy to its knees June 4, 2026 Reading our interview with billionaire John Caudwell, in which he says he was “misled” by Labour’s pitch for power, I’m reminded of just how unambiguous Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves were in the run-up to the 2024 election. They promised to be “the most pro-business government this country has ever seen.” Some of us were [...]
‘Tipping point’: CBI boss slams £345bn business tax burden amid ‘cost of doing business’ crisis June 4, 2026 The boss of the UK’s most influential business group will use a landmark speech to warn that the heavy business tax burden is nudging British firms towards a “tipping point”, directly linking the Labour government’s troubles to cost pressures on firms. At a speech for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)’s business dinner, chief executive [...]
Number of private school pupils plummets after Labour’s VAT hike on fees June 3, 2026 Private school pupil numbers have plummeted by 30,000, down nearly 7 per cent in some year groups, since Labour introduced VAT on fees. As of 1 January 2025, private school fees in the UK, including tuition and boarding, are subject to 20 per cent VAT, a change announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her 2024 [...]
Delaying estate planning could cost affluent Brits over £12bn June 3, 2026 Brits who are putting off dealing with their estate planning could lose over £12bn in preventable inheritance tax from April 2027, as more middle-income earners brace to be ensnared in the tax net. Families who are in the top decile of UK wealth who do not begin estate planning until they are 70 could fail [...]
‘Clients pay for expertise, not process’ – Grant Thornton rolls out Anthropic AI June 2, 2026 Professional services giant Grant Thornton is rolling out Anthropic across its entire UK workforce as the firm seeks to embed AI in its services at a time when the technology is upending the industry. The accountancy firm’s UK arm said it will roll out Anthropic’s generative AI service, Claude, to all partners across its audit, [...]
Private equity-backed Ryan triumphs in bidding for European tax adviser Svalner Atlas June 1, 2026 Private equity-based US accountancy firm Ryan has reportedly agreed to acquire European tax adviser Svalner Atlas Advisors in a deal reportedly worth $400m. Headquartered in Texas and with a presence in London, Ryan specialises in tax services and has BP and BAT among its clients. The firm was valued at about $7bn earlier this year, [...]
Reeves’ savings package to have minimal impact on inflation rise May 29, 2026 A discount campaign launched by Chancellor Rachel Reeves will “shave off” an expected rise in inflation, analysis has suggested, as economists have raised concern over Britons’ inflation expectations. Reeves’ move to delay a hike in fuel duty beyond September and offer VAT relief for businesses giving families reduced prices could strip 0.2 percentage points off [...]
Reeves’ summer of fun won’t deliver growth May 29, 2026 Instead of attempting to stimulate demand, Reeves should focus on helping hospitality from the supply-side, writes Matthew Bowles.