Rishi Sunak is risking his Conservative credentials if he ignores business rates October 25, 2021 For anyone who watches economic policy, reforming business rates seems rather like changing the House of Lords: everyone agrees it’s absolutely vital, the system needs to be modernised to enhance our productivity, but no one away from the think-tank fringes actually wants to get involved. The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, promised in March 2020 to review [...]
Green spending has become a stalemate between the Treasury and private capital October 25, 2021 If a four-pack of toilet rolls costs £2, but an eight-pack costs £3.5, is it sensible to keep buying the smaller pack? What if you want a pack that costs more, say £10? You’ve only got £2, but your better-off flatmate has £8. They’ll spend if you do, but won’t if you don’t. Is it [...]
Lending platform calls on Treasury to privatise land registry October 24, 2021 Lending platform Brydg has urged the Chancellor to consider the privatisation of the HM Land Registry. The registry’s digitisation plans are “lagging”, according to the firm, which wrote to Rishi Sunak ahead of the Budget on October 27. Brydg called for a funding boost for the service as well as for ministers to consider privatising [...]
Pizza Express and IHG back calls for VAT freeze October 24, 2021 More than 200 hospitality bosses have called on the Chancellor to freeze VAT for the sector at 12.5 per cent. CEOs of big names including Stonegate, Pizza Express and IHG Hotels, have urged Rishi Sunak to announce a permanent reduced rate on the Budget on October 27. They said businesses need more support to fully [...]
Budget: Chancellor admits transport investments will get £1.5bn of new money October 24, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has admitted that out of the £7bn pledged for transport investments, only £1.5bn has not yet been allocated, the Independent reported. Speaking this morning on Trevor Phillips on Sunday, Sunak said the government “topped that up by £1.5bn” when asked about the actual amount of funding that will come from new money. [...]
Budget: Government to invest £3bn in “skills revolution” October 24, 2021 The Chancellor of the Exchequer will use the budget to announce a £3bn investment in skills and education to help Brits find higher paid jobs. The cash injection aims to fuel economic growth by increasing the provision of post-16 eduction and creating opportunities for people wishing to enter high value sectors such as AI, cybersecurity, [...]
Labour calls for vaccine passports as part of Plan B restrictions in winter October 24, 2021 Labour has today called for the government to bring back Covid restrictions this winter, after a pair of rapid U-turns on the issue. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said Boris Johnson should advise people to work from home, while also making face masks and vaccine passports mandatory as a part of the government’s Plan B Covid [...]
Rishi Sunak admits UK has ‘no magic wand’ to stop rising inflation October 24, 2021 Rishi Sunak has said he has no “magic wand” to stop increasing inflation as he admits that the issue could be out of the UK’s control. Sunak today said increasing rates of UK inflation were down to global supply chain issues post-Covid and surging global energy prices and that there was little he could do [...]
Government turning to more CCTV and street lighting to reduce crime October 24, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to pledge millions for better CCTV and improved street lighting and give £80m in additional funding to the Crown Prosecution Service. It is part of a £435m package of measures aimed at preventing crime and will form part of next week’s Budget, with a focus on violent offences against women. [...]
Transport, research and skills: £20bn of investments announced ahead of Budget October 24, 2021 When Rishi Sunak delivers his second Budget in a year this Wednesday, there may not be many surprises left after investments totalling more than £20bn were announced over the weekend. The Chancellor will head to the Commons with a focus on levelling up transport links outside London, research and development in health, and a “skills [...]