In loving memory of the Office of Tax Simplification – but hopefully not its dream July 19, 2023 We should radically reshape our taxes, making the legislation a 20 page pamphlet - but we probably won't.
FTSE 100 close: Ocado drags London index into black as markets brace for inflation data July 18, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 squeezed out gains today that have pushed it back into the black in 2023, propped up by shares in online grocer Ocado soaring after a decent set of results. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.64 per cent to 7,453.68 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with [...]
Rishi Sunak should cut national insurance and make investment relief permanent, report argues June 28, 2023 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt should cut companies’ national insurance contributions and make the temporary business investment tax relief permanent, an influential think tank has argued in a radical blueprint to overhaul the UK’s tax regime. Employers’ should be subjected to a 12.8 per cent national insurance levy, one percentage point lower [...]
Adam Smith 300: Was the king of free market economics left-wing? June 16, 2023 Was Adam Smith left wing? Adam Smith is generally regarded as the father of modern capitalism. His works are cited by Milton Friedman, Friedrich August von Hayek and many other liberal and libertarian thinkers. Adam Smith, Friedman explained, “who but for the accident of having been born in the wrong century … undoubtedly have been [...]
Warnings of ‘fire escape’ tax plans for wealthy Brits under Labour June 15, 2023 Wealthy Brits are preparing “fire escape” tax plans if Labour enter government, a tax advisor has claimed. David Lesperance, an international tax adviser, told the Telegraph he is acting as a “concierge” for well-off UK residents who want to protect their wealth after the next election. It comes after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer promised [...]
Pound hits highest level against US dollar in over a year as traders bet Bank of England will outmuscle Fed June 14, 2023 Pound sterling today climbed to its highest level against the US dollar in over a year, driven upwards by investors betting that the Bank of England will surpass the Federal Reserve in its interest rate rise cycle to bring down inflation. Britain’s currency jumped around 0.7 per cent today to nearly $1.27, taking it to [...]
Sunak defends “progressive” UK tax system June 10, 2023 Rishi Sunak has insisted the UK’s tax system is “very progressive” as he brushed off questions about his own financial affairs. The Prime Minister paid an effective rate of around 22% on his substantial income because the majority came from capital gains rather than earnings. But Mr Sunak insisted the tax system was fair for [...]
Investment slump amid higher interest rates risks finally sparking UK recession June 6, 2023 A mix of factors are buffeting the UK economy right now. Spending power is being crushed by high inflation eroding family finances. House prices are coming off their heady heights as sellers drop prices to source buyers amid higher mortgage rates. External demand is thinning in response to weak consumer confidence amid a global cost [...]
Exclusive: Rishi Sunak plans shake-up of worker ownership schemes June 4, 2023 Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt are drawing up plans to revamp schemes designed to hand workers a stake in their employers, City A.M. can reveal. The Treasury will today ask businesses for their view on the effectiveness of government-sponsored programmes that steer staff toward taking stakes in their employer by offering financial incentives. The Prime [...]
‘Can’t come soon enough’: Will Sunak follow through on 2p tax cut reports? June 4, 2023 Rishi Sunak’s mooted plans to reduce the tax burden from a seven-decade high with a 2p cut in income tax ahead of the next election have been welcomed by Tory campaigners. Reports surfaced in the Sunday Telegraph that the PM – an ex-City banker – is keen to cut charges in order to incentivise work [...]