City Hall: Blow to Sadiq Khan as deputy mayor for policing quits for government job October 7, 2024 City Hall’s deputy mayor for policing and crime has quit her post for a government job in a blow to Sadiq Khan. Sophie Linden is to step down from her £141,386-a-year role to become a senior adviser to justice secretary Shabana Mahmood, the Greater London Authority (GLA) has announced. Linden has been in post since [...]
Teaching unions urge government to delay private school VAT roll out October 7, 2024 Teaching unions have urged the government to delay the roll out of private schools having to pay 20 per cent VAT on fees, amid fears of job losses and a “significant burden” on HMRC. Reports emerged on Sunday that ministers were reevaluating the policy – after the Treasury initially declined to confirm it would take [...]
Budget: Rachel Reeves set to drop pensions tax raid plans, per report October 7, 2024 Rachel Reeves is reportedly set to drop plans for a tax raid on pensions over fears it could unfairly affect public sector workers. The Chancellor has been warned that a scheme to reduce the 40 per cent tax relief on higher earners could disproportionately impact teachers and nurses, the Times reported. Treasury officials told Reeves [...]
It wasn’t supposed to be this way, was it? October 7, 2024 Kremlinology is an old Cold War concept referring to the study of key individuals high up in the Soviet government. Who was in favour, who hadn’t been seen in a while, who was winning power struggles and who had been shot; Western analysts devoured such intelligence in an effort to understand who was actually in [...]
Ex-Google boss to join Starmer at International Investment Summit October 6, 2024 The former boss of Google is set to join Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his inaugural International Investment Summit, aimed at flaunting the UK as “open for business” and primed for investment. Scheduled for 14 October, the event will bring together 300 global business leaders to hear how the government plans to attract future investment [...]
Starmer set to announce £22bn boost for UK carbon capture October 4, 2024 The UK is set to invest almost £22bn over 25 years in carbon capture and storage schemes, Sir Keir Starmer is to announce ahead of the upcoming international investment summit. Projects in Teesside and Merseyside will benefit from the £21.7bn in funding over 25 years, which the government says will attract £8bn in private investment [...]
How Manchester hopes to influence Rachel Reeves to boost UK productivity October 3, 2024 A new think tank has been launched in Manchester hoping to influence Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the new Labour government’s efforts to boost productivity across the UK. The Productivity Institute, which is based at the University of Manchester, has set up a policy unit with the aim of ‘informing and influencing’ the likes of Reeves. [...]
Labour capital gains hike would probably cost Treasury money, experts warn October 3, 2024 As the budget approaches, speculation is mounting that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is planning to reform CGT to help fill an alleged £22bn blackhole in the public finances.
Bank of England: Markets need to be prepared for ‘severe but plausible stresses’ October 2, 2024 Officials at the Bank said that the “significant but short-lived spike in volatility and falls in equity indices” seen in early August demonstrated the risks facing global markets.
LNER: Strikes and storms cost train line over £50m October 2, 2024 The impact of a series of severe storms and continued strike action cost London North Eastern Railway (LNER) more than £50m during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The train operator said industrial action in the year to 31 March, 2024, reduced its revenue by £25.9m while extreme weather also impacted its revenue [...]