Boost for Rachel Reeves as UK economy booms in first quarter May 15, 2025 The UK economy surged by 0.7 per cent in the first three months of the year, official data has shown, suggesting firms boosted production ahead of Rachel Reeves’s tax rises in April and the threat of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Fresh data provided by the Office for National Statistics showed that the UK economy grew [...]
London Cypriots to get visit from President in ‘brain gain’ push May 15, 2025 The President of Cyprus will visit Cypriot citizens based in London next week offering them generous tax incentives to return home. The relocation push – dubbed the ‘Brain Gain’ – is backed up with pledges of help with education, housing and free healthcare to lure skilled workers among Britain’s 300,000-strong diaspora back to their home [...]
China could gatecrash Starmer’s diplomatic party May 15, 2025 Keir Starmer has repeatedly said that the UK doesn’t need to choose between strengthening economic and trade ties with the US and deepening them with the EU. A few weeks ago, concern was growing in Whitehall that if the UK didn’t strike a deal with America then the chance of a tariff rapprochement could be [...]
Labour’s National Wealth Fund hounded with calls for clarity May 15, 2025 Labour’s National Wealth Fund (NWF) faced renewed pressure on Wednesday as the Treasury Committee kicked off its inquiry into the new body. The NWF’s ability to boost economic growth across the country was the subject of questions posed by MPs to investment industry leaders. Its status as a “wealth fund” came under fire against comparisons [...]
UK dismisses Chinese concerns on trade May 14, 2025 The UK government has rejected Chinese criticism of its newly-inked US trade deal, in an effort to allay worries that ties between the world’s second largest economy and Britain would deteriorate. Labour have said that China’s economy was not being intentionally “undermined” in the deal, which saw tariffs on steel fall to zero per cent [...]
Public trust in pensions declines for the first time in five years May 14, 2025 The government is facing a fresh headache in its pension reform plans as new research shows trust in the industry declined for the first time in five years. Average trust in the industry has dipped to 5.23 out of 10, from a peak of 5.26, according to the fifth Trust and Confidence Index released by [...]
Small businesses ‘held back’ by £112bn of late payments May 14, 2025 Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are owed some £112bn in late payments, new research has suggested, with buyers “holding back” UK growth. Nearly 5.5m companies with fewer than 250 employees and modest revenues are seen as the “backbone” of the UK economy and key to unlocking growth. But new research by the Centre for Economics [...]
Starmer: Unemployment jump not caused by my government May 14, 2025 The Prime Minister has denied the 10 per cent rise in unemployment since last year’s election is the fault of his government, arguing that the recently struck trade deals with India and the United States will boost jobs and the UK economy. During a fiery exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions, Keir Starmer accused Kemi Badenoch [...]
Labour’s regional growth plan sees 12,000 civil servants moved outside London May 14, 2025 The government is on a mission to relocate 12,000 civil servant jobs across the UK to save taxpayers money — to the tune of £94m a year by 2032. Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden told the BBC this morning he hopes relocating civil servants “will make this government one that better reflects the country it [...]
Cutting migration without upskilling British workers will be an economic disaster May 14, 2025 Without radical changes to how we train domestic workers, disincentivising skilled migration will harm the economy, says Zoe Jacob The government’s White Paper on ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’ has caused consternation among immigration professionals. This resistance is driven by the strength of the language used – in his foreword, the Prime Minister states [...]