Online sales tax would ‘kneecap’ small retailers, startups warn March 2, 2021 The introduction of a new online sales tax would “kneecap” retailers and have a disproportionate impact on smaller businesses, UK startups have warned. In his Budget tomorrow, chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to launch a consultation on new levies targeting online retailers such as Amazon and Asos that have seen their profits soar during the [...]
Budget 2021: Rishi Sunak to unveil £400m boost for culture and arts March 2, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak will this week provide additional support for Britain’s ailing arts and culture sector as businesses prepare for reopenings in the coming months. In his Budget tomorrow, the chancellor will pledge £408m for museums, theatres and galleries to help them survive until the end of lockdown. Under the government’s plan for lifting coronavirus [...]
Hedge fund tycoon Sir Chris Hohn pockets £343m in record payday March 1, 2021 Hedge fund billionaire Sir Chris Hohn paid himself £343m ($479m) last year in what is believed to be the UK’s largest ever annual pay packet. The tycoon took home the record wage after his Children’s Investment Fund (TCI) booked pre-tax profit of $695m, up from $420m the previous year. The bumper salary, paid for the [...]
Brits are suffering from home working ‘fatigue’, says Canary Wharf boss March 1, 2021 Brits are ready to return to the office because a year of working from home has left many “fatigued”, a top executive at Canary Wharf Group has said. Howard Dawber, head of strategy at the property giant, said that while working habits may change after the pandemic, people are missing office and city-centre life. “We’ve [...]
Darktrace appoints former BT boss to board ahead of £4bn float March 1, 2021 Darktrace has appointed former BT chief executive Sir Peter Bonfield to its board ahead of a potential stock market float that could value the cybersecurity giant at £4bn. Bonfield has more than five decades of experience in the tech sector, including a six-year tenure as boss of the blue-chip telecoms giant. He currently serves as [...]
Nvidia resists UK jobs guarantee after $40bn Arm takeover March 1, 2021 British chipmaker Arm is facing uncertainty over its future headcount as Nvidia resists a guarantee on jobs following its planned $40bn (£29bn) takeover. California-based Nvidia is in talks with the government over potential commitments linked to the mammoth merger, including maintaining Arm’s headquarters in Cambridge. The company has pledged to keep the chip giant in [...]
Tech platforms must be more transparent over news, says Reach boss March 1, 2021 Tech giants such as Facebook and Google must be more transparent over how they use news content, the boss of publishing group Reach has said. The social media companies have been embroiled in controversy surrounding their control over online media after Facebook blocked access to news in Australia. Jim Mullen, who leads the publisher behind [...]
Covid clubbing: What will a night out look like after the pandemic? February 26, 2021 Boris Johnson this week unveiled the UK’s route out of lockdown, unleashing a jubilant flood of social media memes. With 21 June set as the target date for a full lifting of restrictions, Brits were quick to fantasise about how they’ll celebrate their newfound freedom after 15 months of lockdown. The timeline could still be [...]
Hospitality sector ‘facing cash crunch’ without further support February 26, 2021 One in five businesses in the UK hospitality sector could run out of cash in the next week unless more emergency support is confirmed, the industry has warned. In a letter to the government, more than 200 hospitality firms warned they faced a “truly perilous” situation with months of continued restrictions ahead. Prime Minister Boris [...]
Insurer RSA posts profit growth ahead of £7.2bn takeover deal February 26, 2021 Insurance group RSA posted a double-digit rise in profit for 2020 ahead of its £7.2bn takeover by a consortium of Canadian and Danish buyers. RSA, which owns brands including More Than, reported operating profit of £751m, up 15 per cent year on year. Group underwriting profit also jumped 36 per cent to a record high [...]
