Hunt reportedly set to retain SMEs 19 per cent tax rate amid fears for tech March 12, 2023 Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are set to hold on to the 19 per cent rate of company tax amid concerns for the future of the UK’s tech sector, the Mail has reported. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will hand small and medium businesses major tax breaks to boost investment in the spring statement this week, [...]
Gary Lineker row: Now George Osborne weighs in on Tory immigration rhetoric March 12, 2023 Support has poured in for Gary Lineker following his suspension from the BBC amid an ongoing row over the government’s policy on stopping small boats crossing the Channel. Football pundit Lineker was pulled off air last week after tweeting about the UK’s asylum policy following the announcement of the new Illegal Migration Bill by Suella [...]
Budget: Childcare support and energy bills on Hunt’s to-do list March 12, 2023 Ending the prepayment meter penalty on energy bills and boosting childcare support for the poorest parents are among measures set to be announced in the spring budget. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt this weekend confirmed households on prepayment meters will no longer pay more than people on direct debits, as of July 2023. Energy security secretary Grant [...]
Silicon Valley Bank: ‘Serious risk’ to UK tech and life sciences, Jeremy Hunt warns March 12, 2023 The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank UK (SVBUK) poses a “serious risk” to the UK’s tech and life sciences sectors, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has warned. Ministers have said urgent plans to protect businesses from the fallout are being drawn up. Talks between Hunt, prime minister Rishi Sunak and Bank of England (BoE) governor Andrew Bailey [...]
Brexit: Retained EU law deadline must be extended to avoid ‘rushed bonfire’ of regulations, think tank warns March 9, 2023 The post Brexit retained EU law deadline should be extended to avoid a “rushed bonfire” of business regulations, a think tank has warned. Government risks missing a “golden opportunity” to boost the quality of the statute books if it does not lengthen the December 2023 deadline for the so-called sunset clause. Most Brussels legislation will [...]
Labour warns UK has only half the childcare places it needs, as party demands urgent reform to support working parents March 8, 2023 The UK has only half the childcare places it needs, Labour has warned, with one in five providers haveing closed in the last five years. Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson is set to lay out her party’s plans to reform the sector today and has vowed improvements will be her “first priority in government”. “The [...]
UK immigration hits record levels despite labour shortages March 8, 2023 Immigration to the UK has hit record levels, despite labour shortages in key sectors, amid a fresh wave of public positivity towards arrivals. In the year ending in June 2022, long-term immigration into the UK was around 1.1m, up by 435,000 on the previous annual figure. Employment-related migration fell in vital sectors such as hospitality [...]
PMQs sketch: Parliament turns into a school playground March 8, 2023 Rishi Sunak prepares for battle with the ECHR over his plans to tackle the small boats crisis as Keir Starmer fluffs his lines. Jessica Frank-Keyes debriefs on today’s Prime Minister’s Questions. Parliament may resemble the corridors of a minor public school at the best of times, but today there was a distinct school playground vibe to [...]
Met Police short of 1,000 officers as force admits it faces an uphill battle to recruit quality candidates March 8, 2023 The Met Police is set to be short of more than 1,000 officers this year, the force has said, amid an ongoing crisis in public trust and confidence. Officer numbers will be down by around 1,060 less than the target strength of 34,490, the Met Police has told City Hall. It comes as new commissioner [...]
RMT urged to cancel next week’s walkouts after Network Rail action suspended March 8, 2023 Rail union bosses have been urged to cancel next week’s walkouts at train companies after suspending planned industrial action at Network Rail. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents operators, called on the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) to “meet us for urgent talks”. The RMT has been engaged in national rail strikes in [...]