Rachel Reeves needs to be able to sell her borrowing to the market October 29, 2024 The first female Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, fears following in the footsteps of the last female Prime Minister in her Autumn Budget statement. The Gilt market sell-off in the wake of the Truss/Kwarteng fiscal event two years ago didn’t just cast a huge shadow over the Conservative Party; it reminded all politicians that financial markets can [...]
First-time buyers could see huge tax hit under rumored Budget change October 28, 2024 First-time buyers could see huge tax hit under changes rumored to be included in the Autumn budget. It has been rumoured that Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will rule out any changes to stamp duty land tax in the Budget. Stamp duty land tax currently applies to homes costing over £250,000, but in March [...]
Jeremy Hunt accuses OBR of making a ‘political intervention’ over Labour’s blackhole review October 28, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has used the supposed existence of the £22bn blackhole as a justification to hike taxes in Wednesday's Budget.
Labour’s pro-business boasts ring hollow October 28, 2024 Rachel Reeves once vowed that if Labour won they “would be the most pro-business government this country has ever seen”. With just two days to go until the Budget, that pre-election pledge appears to be in the gutter. Reassuring the business community was an essential part of Labour’s pitch for power, but almost everything they’ve [...]
Hundreds attend protest alongside Justice for Chris Kaba campaign October 26, 2024 Hundreds of people have gathered for a march in central London to protest over deaths in custody alongside the Justice for Chris Kaba campaign. Activists gathered on the corner of Trafalgar Square and marched with the United Families and Friends Campaign to Downing Street. The campaign group supports the families of “loved ones lost at [...]
Chancellor to cut back Right to Buy discounts in Budget October 26, 2024 The Chancellor will cut back Right to Buy discounts as part of next week’s Budget to boost council housing supply. Rachel Reeves will announce plans to consult on a new five-year social housing rent settlement and to reduce Right to Buy, which allows tenants renting local authority-owned homes to buy them at a discounted rate, [...]
Starmer denies misleading the public over tax rises in Labour manifesto October 26, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has denied misleading the public at the general election over tax plans after he suggested people who make money from shares and property could face greater levies. The Prime Minister rejected claims he was waging a “war on middle Britain” amid pre-Budget speculation he could increase the burden for those who have [...]
Government: Israel’s escalation in the Middle East ‘in no one’s interest’ October 26, 2024 The government said it is monitoring the unfolding situation in the Middle East “closely” after Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting military sites in Iran. The attacks did not target nuclear or oil facilities, two Israeli officials confirmed to the Associated Press. A government spokesman said on Saturday morning: “We are monitoring this situation [...]
Budget 2024: Warning pubs and breweries could face extra £310m bill October 25, 2024 Pubs and breweries could face an extra £310m bill after the Budget, an industry lobby group has warned. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has warned Chancellor Rachel Reeves that a hike in business rates and beer duty could leave Britain’s drinking spots struggling. Additional costs could stifle growth and threaten jobs, with some [...]
‘Wasteful’ disposable vapes to be banned by next June October 24, 2024 Disposable vape sales will be banned by next summer, the government has said, branding the e-cigarette products “wasteful”. Fresh legislation to ban the sale of single-use vaping devices from June 2025 was introduced before Parliament on Wednesday. The government says an estimated five million single-use vapes were littered or thrown away each week last year [...]