Seven in 10 bosses think workers’ rights bill will dent growth June 6, 2025 Over seven in 10 bosses believe the government’s flagship workers’ rights overhaul will kibosh efforts to kickstart economic growth and lead to fewer new hires and more outsourcing of work abroad, fresh research has shown. According to a poll by the Institute of Directors (IoD), 72 per cent of business leaders in Britain believe that, [...]
Labour’s not for turning but the Inheritance Tax battle will rumble on June 5, 2025 Civil servants and politicians could not believe their eyes. As the hoarse grumble of diesel motors thundered along Whitehall, a fleet of tractors descended onto Parliament Square, heralded by a cacophony of honks to the tune of Aqua’s Barbie Girl. Beginning in November, farmers marched to Westminster to protest the government’s inheritance tax (IHT) reforms. [...]
David Lammy: ‘Technology is the frontline of geopolitics’ as Foreign Office teams up with Big Four giants June 5, 2025 “It is essential" that firms such as the Big Four and UK government "work together", Foreign Secretary tells City AM as his focus shifts to AI.
‘Never again’: Shadow Chancellor apologises for Truss’ mini-budget June 5, 2025 Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride is set to apologise for the fallout from the 2022 mini-budget, vowing that “never again will the Conservative Party undermine fiscal credibility by making promises we cannot afford.” In a speech later today, Stride is expected to apologise on behalf of the Tory government for having “put at risk the very [...]
Rachel Reeves to shake up pensions to boost UK investment June 5, 2025 The government is set to shake up UK pensions today, with Rachel Reeves planning several government-backed megafunds to boost pension wealth and investment. In the most significant reform to the pensions system since 2021, the bill will focus on six areas – from giving the government a “reserve” power to force pension schemes to invest [...]
HMRC criticised for not reporting £47m phishing attack sooner June 5, 2025 Information from 100,000 taxpayers was targeted by criminals who committed a phishing attack on HMRC
Will the Bank of England’s quantitative tightening torpedo Reeves’ fiscal rules? June 5, 2025 Rachel Reeves is in a pickle. At under £10bn, the Chancellor’s self-imposed fiscal headroom – the Treasury’s wiggle room within its fiscal rules – is already wafer-thin by historic standards. And it is under intense strain, given a recent slew of billion-pound government spending pledges such as reversing winter fuel payments cuts and scrapping the [...]
When is a trade deal not a trade deal? June 5, 2025 Do you remember where you were on TD Day, 2025? Do you remember what you were doing when you heard the news that a “truly historic” treaty had been signed between the UK and US? Trade Deal Day, 8 May 2025, was – for this government – a very big deal indeed. Keir Starmer will [...]
End net zero levies raising energy bills, CBI boss to demand June 5, 2025 Net zero costs which push up energy prices and “anchor” businesses’ ambitions to grow must end, the boss of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) will tell government officials at an event in London on Thursday evening. Rain Newton-Smith, the chief executive of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), is set to urge the Treasury [...]
UK to miss out on tourism boom due to ‘layer upon layer’ of taxes June 4, 2025 UK tourism is at risk of suffering a decline as visitors are deciding against going to Britain due to the Treasury’s stringent tax policies, a key industry official has said, in the latest sign of the toll tax hikes are taking. Julia Simpson, the former British Airways chief who now heads up the World Travel [...]