Reeves confirms backing for Heathrow expansion but refuses to rule out new business taxes January 29, 2025 Rachel Reeves has confirmed the government’s backing for a third runway at Heathrow in a major speech on economic growth. The Chancellor addressed journalists, business leaders and cabinet ministers at Siemens Healthineers in Oxfordshire on Wednesday morning. She said: “Heathrow is at the heart of the UK’s openness as a country, it connects us to [...]
Next CEO backs Lords battle against National Insurance tax rise January 29, 2025 The chief executive of retail giant Next has backed an attempt in the House of Lords to change the planned change to employer’s National Insurance Contributions (NICs). Lord Wolfson has supported amendments to the bill which have been tabled by Baroness Noakes. In Labour’s Budget last Autumn, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said that the government would [...]
UK’s last fracking wells to be filled with cement despite dwindling gas stocks January 29, 2025 The UK’s last fracking wells are set to be closed and filled with cement despite warnings that Britain’s gas stockpiles are dwindling. In an open letter, the North Sea Transition Authority regulator told the energy firm Cuadrilla to plug the two wells at Preston New Road in Lancashire before decommissioning them by 30th June 2025. [...]
‘Deregulation is essential’: Starmer vows to slash red tape in bid for growth January 29, 2025 Keir Starmer vowed to deregulate Britain and cut through “thickets of red tape” today as he tried to reboot his government’s handling of the economy following months of anaemic growth and criticism from business. In an article for the Times, the Prime Minister wrote “deregulation is essential” and warned investors were shunning the UK due [...]
Raspberry Pi stock dips after profit forecast at lower end January 29, 2025 Raspberry Pi’s stock price has dipped by 2.2 per cent after it said adjusted operating profit was expected to come in on the low end of what had been expected by markets. The Cambridge-based tech firm said it expected its full year adjusted operating profit to be above $36m (£28.9m), compared to a range of [...]
United Utilities and Pennon to hike dividends in line with inflation as customer bills rise January 29, 2025 United Utilities and Pennon Group plan to increase dividends as consumers grapple with significant bill increases over the next five years. The water firms on Wednesday both said dividends would rise in line with inflation each year until 2030, following Ofwat’s final determination in December. The regulator’s ruling, which sets customers’ bills for the next [...]
Libby’s Naked Diary: How I created a limited edition wine with amazing artist Nigel Stefani January 29, 2025 MY FRIEND, Nigel Stefani, is the least likely looking ‘Nigel’ you could meet. A muscular, tattooed, shaven-headed chap, invariably dressed in all-black with smoky black eyeliner and a dusky melodic voice. I picked him up at The Bike Shed, a biker bar in Shoreditch, one New Year’s Eve. Platonically that is, though my opening line [...]
Apple eyes MLS sell-off as even Messi can’t save £2bn deal January 29, 2025 Apple TV is considering selling off some of its international rights to Major League Soccer (MLS) just two years into a 10-year deal. The streaming company is paying $250m (£200m) a year for global MLS rights in a bet that interest in the American domestic league would grow significantly on the back of Lionel Messi’s [...]
Year of the Snake: China faces ‘short term pain for long term gain’ January 29, 2025 As China welcomes in the new year today, markets are hopeful that the government’s strategy of ‘short term pain for long term gain’ is enough to push the Chinese economy to a new stage of development. In traditional Chinese culture, the Year of the Snake embodies qualities of introspection, transformation and adaptability. That year seems fitting for 2025, as [...]
Starmer must remember humans respond to incentives, not rules January 29, 2025 Rules are important to any civilised society, but Starmer has forgotten that humans respond far better to incentives, writes Paul Ormerod.