TfL rolls out 20mph speed limit for central London March 2, 2020 A speed limit of 20mph has come into place today on all central London roads managed by Transport for London (TfL). The rollout of the new limit will apply to 8.9km of roads within the congestion charge zone, including some in the City of London. Some of the main roads affected inlcude Albert Embankent, Millbank [...]
Exclusive: Distillers demand cut to spirits duty in March budget March 2, 2020 A coalition of British distillers have written to Rishi Sunak to urge him to stick to his party’s election manifesto and cut spirits duty in this month’s budget. The letter – drawn up by the UK Spirits Alliance and signed by 40 of its members – asks the chancellor to “reduce the excise duty burden” to [...]
US trade deal objectives outlined by the Department for International Trade March 2, 2020 The government will today publish its objectives for a UK-US trade deal, with negotiators aiming for an “ambitious and comprehensive” agreement. The Department for International Trade has advised that official talks will begin this week, with new analysis revealing the trade deal is expected to increase transatlantic trade flows by £15.3 billion. The department believes [...]
Whitehall looks to clamp down on business grant fraud March 1, 2020 Whitehall is planning a review into how business grants are awarded to combat fraudulent claims. The review is set to look at the way grants funding is awarded and the rising instances of “grant fraud”, which some estimate to be worth in excess of £2bn. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has [...]
Sir Keir Starmer in bullying row with his Constituency Labour Party March 1, 2020 Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of being complicit in the bullying of local party members in what has been described by some as a smear campaign against the Labour leadership frontrunner. A complaint has been made by the Holborn and St Pancras Constituency Labour Party (CLP) to party general secretary Jennie Formby, claiming Starmer’s [...]
Government set to scrap entrepreneurs’ relief in £2.7bn tax grab March 1, 2020 Plans have been drawn up by the Treasury to hit businesses with a £2.7bn tax rise in this month’s budget. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to scrap entrepreneurs’ relief, which gives a capital gains tax cut to people who start their own businesses. The scheme cuts the amount of capital gains tax paid, when they [...]
Coronavirus: Government will not rule out quarantining entire cities March 1, 2020 Quarantining entire UK cities to deal with coronavirus has not been ruled out by the government, according to health secretary Matt Hancock. Hancock was asked this morning about extreme measures that could be taken to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The health secretary said the government would publish its “battle plan” to combat [...]
Court date set for Uber’s London ban appeal February 27, 2020 The court date for Uber’s appeal of its London ban is set for 6 July, with a judge deciding today that the capital’s largest taxi union can take part in the proceedings. Chief Magistrate of England and Wales Emma Arbuthnot ruled today that the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) are an “interested party” in the [...]
Independent mayoral candidate Rory Stewart in BBC row February 27, 2020 The BBC has been accused of discriminating against Rory Stewart by shutting him out of its coverage in the lead-up to the May mayoral election. BBC London did not include the independent mayor of London candidate in a special report yesterday about knife crime, despite featuring the other four main challengers. City A.M. understands the [...]
Heathrow third runway plans ruled ‘unlawful’ as legal challenge upheld February 27, 2020 Heathrow Airport’s third runway expansion has stalled, after a challenge in the high court was upheld in the Court of Appeal. The court found that the government’s policy statement for the third runway was “unlawful” as it did not take into account the government’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, a challenge brought by mayor [...]
