DEBATE: Should capital gains tax be raised and aligned with income tax? September 9, 2019 Should capital gains tax be raised and aligned with income tax, as it was under Margaret Thatcher? YES, says Robert Palmer, executive director of Tax Justice UK Why should someone who goes out to work for a living pay a higher rate of tax than someone living off their wealth? It’s an important question, especially [...]
Hey Conservatives, stop attacking Greta Thunberg and come up with better market-led ideas September 5, 2019 Nobody likes being lectured at. Perhaps this aversion explains – although in no way excuses – the sustained attacks on the teenaged climate activist Greta Thunberg by many on the right. Whether it’s vile jokes about her dying at sea or the faux concern about her mental health, anyone who makes such comments should be [...]
Housebuilder Barratt Developments defies Brexit jitters as profits climb September 4, 2019 Barratt Developments shrugged off concerns of a housing market slowdown today after reporting a rise in pre-tax profits for the year to June 2019. The figures Britain’s largest housebuilder, which has been reducing its exposure to Central London’s subdued property market, posted profits before tax of £910m in the 12 months to 30 June, rising [...]
DEBATE: Is there any merit to Labour’s idea of a ‘right to buy’ policy for private renters? September 3, 2019 Is there any merit to Labour’s idea of a ‘right to buy’ policy for private renters? James Meadway, an economist and former adviser to John McDonnell, says YES. Labour looking into a right to buy for private tenants could be a godsend for those tens of thousands of private renters who find themselves on the [...]
Burford Capital’s shares fall on fresh criticism from Canaccord analysts August 29, 2019 Shares in Burford Capital fell a further six per cent today as analysts at broker Canaccord Genuity unleashed a fresh barrage of criticism at the embattled litigation funder. Burford Capital’s shares lost 40 per cent of their value earlier this month after shortseller Muddy Waters blasted its accounting practices and governance. Read more: Burford left [...]
Ineos on the hunt for new auditor after dropping PwC in wake of tax fallout August 7, 2019 UK energy giant Ineos is reportedly dropping PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as its auditor amid speculation of a major tax row between the two sides. Ineos, which is owned by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, is on the hunt for a new accountancy group to replace the big four beancounter, according to Sky News. Read more: Ineos plans [...]
Barclays boosts first-half profit 82 per cent to £3bn August 1, 2019 Barclays today posted first-half profit before tax of £3bn, an 82 per cent increase on the same period last year. Total income fell one per cent to £10.8bn. Return on tangible equity was 9.4 per cent, down from 11.6 per cent in the first half of 2018. The bank said it was targeting return of [...]
Burford Capital posts profit bump as it hits back at critical analyst July 25, 2019 London-listed litigation funder Burford Capital today announced that its profit after tax grew 36 per cent to $225m (£180m) in the first half of 2019. The funder said litigation investment income in the six months to 30 June hit $264m, up 36 per cent from the same period the previous year. Burford said investment returns [...]
Boris Johnson can deliver a bolder economic vision for Britain July 10, 2019 Brexit Britain is at an impasse. Half-in, half-out, with our politics gridlocked, we are now in serious danger of undermining our traditional attractiveness as a magnet for global investment. This week’s quarterly survey of FTSE CFOs by Deloitte shows that 83 per cent expect the UK’s economic prospects to worsen as a result of Brexit [...]
Facebook’s cryptocurrency Libra could run into tax trouble say lawyers July 1, 2019 Facebook’s new cryptocurrency Libra could face serious tax issues that could hamper its widespread takeup, according to City lawyers. Earlier this month, the social media giant confirmed plans to launch Libra which is intended to be a new global currency that can improve access to the financial system. Tax lawyers from Magic Circle law firm [...]