The end of stamp duty relief isn’t the only cost going up for first-time buyers February 11, 2025 First-time buyers (FTBs) are facing higher costs across the board as they grapple with not only high stamp duty fees, but a low stock of affordable houses, more stringent lending requirements and higher upfront costs. First and foremost, stamp duty relief is set to end on March 31, which has driven a significant boost in [...]
Post-Brexit immigration wave could cost Brits £234bn February 11, 2025 The City of London is an immigration success story, but most of those who have entered the country since we ‘took back control’ of our borders will never pay enough tax to cover the cost of the public services and welfare they consume, representing a net fiscal cost of £8,200 for every UK household, says [...]
Commercial real estate: Why London needs 15 new Walkie Talkies February 11, 2025 Commercial real estate can be the growth lever the government is looking for, but as the industry gathers in London today, the global investment community has its eyes on the current shortfall of London offices, says Philip Hobley As Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves cast around for the `growth lever’ there [...]
DCMS issue insolvency threat to rugby clubs over Covid-19 loans February 10, 2025 Rugby clubs have been warned after the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said it “wouldn’t hesitate” to use “all financial levers” available to recover loan payments owed by sports organisations from the pandemic. Those powers could see the government department aid in forcing insolvency on sports clubs to ensure the taxpayer recoups the [...]
BP shares top the FTSE 100 as Elliott stake ignites breakup chatter February 10, 2025 BP shares jumped to the top of the FTSE 100 this morning as a rumour emerged that an activist hedge fund had taken a position in the stock. Shares in the blue-chip oil giant jumped eight per cent in early deals on the news activist hedge fund Elliott Investment Management had built a position in [...]
Surrey to keep majority as Mumbai Indians owners confirm Oval Invincibles stake February 10, 2025 Surrey have confirmed that they will remain majority owners of the Hundred franchise Oval Invincibles after taking investment from super-rich Indian family the Ambanis. The family, through Reliance Industries Limited, have agreed to purchase a 49 per cent share in the south London side in a deal that values them at around £125m. It was [...]
City of London seizes dockless e-bikes in Lime and Forest crackdown February 10, 2025 The City of London Corporation has seized more than a hundred dockless e-bikes as part of a crackdown against operators’ Lime and Forest. The Square Mile’s local authority said it had confiscated bikes that were found to have obstructed or caused immediate danger to others, over a two-week enforcement period. The bikes were stored in [...]
Heathrow: BA and Virgin in call for ‘urgent’ reform before expansion February 10, 2025 Heathrow’s airlines have joined forces to call for an urgent re-think of the way in which the hub is regulated, amid soaring passenger charges and a general decline in standards. Virgin Atlantic, the IAG and Heathrow AOC, which represents the interests of the airport’s airlines, urged the aviation regulator on Monday to launch a “fundamental [...]
Gusbourne: Wine maker faces delisting from London’s AIM as shares plummet February 10, 2025 Shares in Gusbourne dropped more than 34 per cent this morning after the English winemaker announced it would consider delisting from London’s junior stock market, AIM. In an announcement to the London Stock Exchange, Gusbourne said it had received a letter from majority shareholder Lord Ashcroft, requesting it to hold a meeting to consider going [...]
As tariffs loom, the UK-India trade deal is all the more important February 10, 2025 Tariffs are the road to ruin. But the UK still has many opportunities with trade partners like India, writes Lord Mayor Alastair King.