Retail demand protected by shoppers using lockdown savings and buy now pay later services April 21, 2022 Consumer retail demand will be protected by shoppers dipping into lockdown savings and using buy now pay later services, despite increased pressure on household budgets. Economists have said consumer demand will not see a significant drop in the coming months despite tightening purse strings across the country. Evidence showed households were turned to credit to [...]
Our judicial system is failing as courts and the profession lose their lustre April 21, 2022 As we finally emerge from the worst of the pandemic, things like the Nightingale Courts might be a fading memory. Much like the Nightingale Hospitals, they were set up to deal with urgent cases and individuals who couldn’t have their needs addressed remotely. In the case of the courts, they were a genuine commitment to [...]
Bookworms continue to flourish as UK publishing hits new heights April 21, 2022 Bookworms continue to find their heads buried in books beyond the pandemic, with UK publishing sales hitting a new industry high to £6.7bn in 2021. Whilst Nielsen Bookscan estimated that 212 millon books were sold last year, the highest in a decade, new data released today by the Publishers Association has revealed that total sales [...]
London could be revolutionised with an Oyster-card system for drivers in the capital April 21, 2022 Not since the advent of the motorcar a century ago have London’s roads undergone such rapid change. Some of this is driven by technology – electric cars, e-bikes, e-scooters – and some by policy changes to tackle the city’s carbon emissions.The latest is the Mayor of London plan to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone [...]
CBI chief economist: Bank of England chasing missed rate hikes April 21, 2022 The Bank of England has been slow to get ahead of an inflation crunch that is now expected to choke the UK’s economic recovery, according to the chief economist at Britain’s top business group. Rate setters “should have acted sooner in the autumn” to cool the elevated cost of living, Rain Newton-Smith, chief economist at [...]
Job losses loom in further sign of economic slowdown April 21, 2022 The UK jobs market is set to take a knock this year after it weathered the gloomiest post-furlough predictions, reveals new research published today. Around one in five firms are intending to scale back staffing levels over the coming year, according to conciliation service Acas. The fresh survey illustrates the steep deterioration in the trading [...]
Time to talk about the price of milk: artisan cheese could save our dairy industry April 21, 2022 Milk has always held a curious place in the political psyche. It has long been used as a measure of affordability of everyday goods – and our leaders’ understanding of the challenges facing many Britons. As inflation, pressures on transport and the war in Ukraine have triggered a spike in prices, the price of milk [...]
Report warns Covid travel rules imposed without ‘overall assessment’ April 21, 2022 Covid-induced restrictions on international travel were imposed in England without an “overall assessment” of their impact, according to a report released today. The National Audit Office (NAO) said there was no system put in place by the government to measure the success of self-isolation, passenger control forms and the quarantine hotels. The watchdog also reported [...]
Car insurance rises for first time in 18 months April 21, 2022 Car insurance premiums have risen for the first time in 18 months, according to financial services company Confused. Data revealed today that insuring a vehicle is £12 more expensive than it was a year ago, causing the average premium to be as high as £550 per year. “Car insurance costs are starting to increase, and [...]
Bank of England ups budget by £24m to tackle crypto risks April 20, 2022 The Bank of England is expanding its budget by £24.3m as it seeks to tackle risks associated with crypto assets.
