Hospitality chiefs call on Sunak to reverse VAT hike or leave London businesses ‘unviable overnight’ March 20, 2022 Hospitality heads have said the government’s plans to increase VAT from current rates of 12.5 per cent to highs of 20 per cent at the start of next month will see some London businesses “become unviable overnight.” Industry chiefs warned that Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s plans to hike consumer taxes on food, soft drinks, accommodation, and [...]
The Nuclear Option: Ministers weigh up state company as Sunak doubts UK energy strategy March 20, 2022 Government ministers are mulling over plans to launch a state-owned nuclear company while Suank questions power plant ramp-up.
British Chambers of Commerce urges Sunak to help businesses facing rising costs March 20, 2022 The British Chambers of Commerce has called on Rishi Sunak to help businesses facing rising energy costs as it warns of a “cost of doing business” crisis. BCC director general Shevaun Haviland today urged the chancellor to scrap the planned rise in National Insurance Contributions for employees and employers next month and to implement an [...]
Sunak says ‘of course’ he will provide more help for families facing rising energy bills March 20, 2022 Rishi Sunak has said that “of course” he will help households dealing with further increases in energy bills as a result of the Russo-Ukrainian war. The chancellor said that he will “stand by” people facing the cost of living squeeze in “the same way I have done in the last couple of years”. Sunak will [...]
Treasury to reveal £40bn tax boost as Sunak faces calls to further tackle cost of living March 20, 2022 The Chancellor is preparing for a £40bn boost to the Treasury from higher tax receipts as industry and campaign groups call for more solutions to tackle the cost of living. Rishi Sunak is expected to reveal better borrowing figures than previously forecast, alongside higher tax revenues and a slimmer debt-to-GDP ratio in 2021-22. The figures [...]
Johnson and Sunak announce as large a tax hike in two years as Blair and Brown did in a decade March 17, 2022 In just two years, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have announced the same amount of tax hikes as Tony Blair and Gordon Brown did in a decade, reveals fresh research published today. The Conservative duo will swell the UK’s tax burden by around two per cent of GDP after national insurance and [...]
OECD: Russia-Ukraine war to knock global economy March 17, 2022 Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will shave around one percentage point off of global economic growth this year, reveals new forecasts by the group of rich nations. Disruption to flows of Russian and Ukrainian commodities as a result of the conflict will deliver a sharp blow to the Eurozone economy, according to the Organisation of Economic [...]
Gordon Brown joins 50 charities urging action on cost of living crisis, u-turn on ‘unthinkable’ below-inflation benefit rise March 17, 2022 Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined around 50 charities urging the government to urgently address the cost of living crisis, and change its mind on a below-inflation benefits rise. Pressure was growing on ministers this week not to go ahead with the rise of 3.1 per cent in the Spring statement, as inflation is set [...]
Rampant inflation to push tax bills £12bn above forecasts March 16, 2022 Rampant inflation is set to deliver an even harsher hit to households’ tax bills than first thought, reveals fresh analysis released today. A higher cost of living will result in a £12.5bn larger tax hike, piling more pressure on Brits’ already stretched finances, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision [...]
UK recorded music hits a high note thanks to vinyl and CD revivals March 16, 2022 UK recorded music continues to hit a high note, with revenue up 12.8 per cent to £1.26bn following 2020’s pandemic slump.