All hail Rayner, destroyer of NIMBYs December 10, 2024 Since Christmas is a time for hope, it’s worth appreciating the good news when we see it. The business community’s frustrations with Labour are well documented and easy to understand, but even its fiercest critics tend to concede that one area stands out as a bright spot in an economic landscape marred by tax increases: [...]
Starmer’s ‘tax-take’ Britain will see us take a back seat in the looming tech revolution December 10, 2024 Starmer’s tax hikes and half-baked policy aims are squeezing the last drop of entrepreneurial zeal Britain has, just as the world embarks on the greatest technological revolution for two centuries, warns billionaire tech VC and philanthropist Tej Kohli. The Prime Minister’s refusal to rule out further tax hikes on top of those he’s already imposed [...]
No Christmas cheer for employers as 2024 draws to a close December 9, 2024 There are plenty of reasons to be cheerful at this time of year, but the state of the economy isn’t one of them. As Christmas trees go up and celebrations get underway, there are worrying signs that large parts of corporate Britain are preparing to end the year in a state of nervousness and pessimism. [...]
Business confidence drops at fastest pace for over three years December 9, 2024 The optimism index dropped 5.8 points to 93.49 in November, which was the largest monthly fall since August 2021.
Investors want to see ‘ambition’ from UK on climate change, Pinchbeck says December 8, 2024 Private investors are keen to see “ambition” from the UK government on climate change, the head of an influential emissions body has warned politicians. Emma Pinchbeck, chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, which advises the government on emissions targets, stressed that the private sector “likes a bit of ambition”. The former Energy UK CEO [...]
Boost ‘growth prospects’ with reset, Reeves to tell EU finance meeting December 8, 2024 Rachel Reeves will argue that a more business-like relationship with the EU can help Britain boost its “growth prospects”, at a meeting with the bloc’s finance ministers. Reeves will on Monday address the European Union’s financial heads in Brussels, becoming the first Chancellor to do so since Brexit, ahead of her next overseas visit to [...]
Newts can’t be ‘more protected than people who need housing’, Rayner says December 8, 2024 Angela Rayner has said the UK should not be in a situation where “newts are more protected than people” who need housing, ahead of a government shake-up of planning. The deputy Prime Minister suggested protecting the country’s wildlife should not always be prioritised over building new homes, after Sir Keir Starmer last week reiterated his [...]
Revolut, Interactive Investor and Abcam: Britain’s venture capital success stories December 6, 2024 This week, Revolut made headlines when it emerged that early investors in the fintech had been offered an opportunity to cash out with returns of up to 400 times their initial investment. The news arrived in the same week venture capital trusts celebrated their 30th anniversary of backing British startups. Revolut used crowdfunding rather than [...]
Keir Starmer: Planning regime ‘suffocating aspirations of working families’ December 6, 2024 Writing in the Times, Starmer said the planning system had become "increasingly ruinous" and was "suffocating the aspirations of working families".
CBI downgrades forecast for UK economy after Budget December 6, 2024 The UK economy is set for slower than expected and “unimpressive” growth in 2025 thanks partly to punitive measures introduced in October’s Budget, a leading business group has predicted. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) now expects Britain’s economy to grow by just 1.5 per cent next year, it said in its latest economic forecast, [...]