The UK economy is suffering from long Covid and a short memory September 23, 2024 We may have ditched the testing swabs and face masks, but the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is still being felt. Quite understandably, we’d rather consign that era to history, but the scale of the costs incurred makes that impossible. The official inquiry is attempting to get to grips with questions of preparedness, decision making [...]
AI companies are racing to rescue the NHS September 23, 2024 An official review by Lord Darzi revealed recently that the NHS is in “critical condition” following years of underfunding. The review found that the NHS is battling soaring demand, poor productivity, financial pressures and low staff morale. “It’s not just the state of our National Health Service in crisis – it’s also the state of [...]
Donations a ‘feature of our politics’, Angela Rayner tells BBC amid gifts row September 22, 2024 Donations to MPs are “a feature of our politics”, Angela Rayner has insisted amid a row over Labour politicians accepting gifts and freebies. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had come in for criticism in the past week over accepting more than £100,000-worth of gifts, including tickets to football matches, concerts and luxury clothes. But he, [...]
Rolls Royce closes in on European nuclear reactor deals as UK process delayed September 22, 2024 Rolls Royce is closing in on two deals to build miniaturised nuclear power plants in Sweden and the Netherlands after a successful deal with the Czech Republic announced last week. Rolls-Royce boss Tufan Erginbilgic had warned that the firm would start building small modular reactors (SMRs) in Europe should UK ministers fail to speed up [...]
Thames Water creditors plan emergency funding for troubled utility September 22, 2024 Thames Water's lenders are reportedly preparing to plough more than £1bn of emergency funding into the embattled utility before the end of 2024 in an effort that could keep it out of government hands.
Starmer arrives at Labour conference with promise to rebuild UK September 21, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer said Labour was “rebuilding our country”, as he arrived at his party’s conference intent on shifting attention away from rows over donations and internal No 10 infighting. The Prime Minister said “change has started” as he arrived at the Liverpool conference centre. But the feel-good factor of Labour’s landslide win in July’s [...]
‘No doubt’ of inheritance tax reform as government books a record haul from the levy September 20, 2024 New figures from HMRC showed inheritance tax receipts hit £3.5bn between April and August, £300m higher than the same period last year.
Use Budget to urgently review UK’s tax system, accountants urge Reeves September 20, 2024 Rachel Reeves should use the Budget next month to urgently review the UK’s tax system, including business rates and VAT, a chartered accountants group has urged. The Chancellor has been called on to set out the government’s plans to reform business rates, VAT and employment status by the end of the year in the fiscal [...]
Government borrowing jumps as threat of tax hikes grows September 20, 2024 The figures come just over a month before Rachel Reeves delivers her first Budget as Chancellor.
Bank of England holds interest rates but Andrew Bailey flags further cuts September 19, 2024 The Bank's decision comes after the Fed reduced interest rates by 50 basis points last night, the first cut since the pandemic.