Virgin Wines targets £100m revenue in five-year growth plan March 26, 2025 Virgin Wines has reported an uptick in profit and new customers, as well as a five-year growth plan aiming to nearly double revenue to £100m by 2029. The company will also implement a share buyback programme to purchase up to 15 per cent of its share capital, although it will not introduce a dividend. The [...]
UK inflation undershoots expectations in February March 26, 2025 Inflation hit 2.8 per cent in the year to February, pointing to a fragile UK economy as Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares to deliver her Spring Statement this afternoon. The Bank of England last week held interest rates at 4.5 per cent as inflation has remained high amid escalating trade tensions and incoming tax rises. Now [...]
Spring Statement: Reeves should abolish the OBR March 26, 2025 By strengthening the OBR, Reeves has created severe difficulties for herself. Vital decisions about our economic future should be made by politicians, not unelected quangocrats, says Paul Ormerod Later today we will know for certain what is in Rachel Reeves’ Spring statement, a budget to all intents and purposes. But as is usually the case [...]
City AM readers: Join the fight for the centre right March 26, 2025 Simon Clarke is calling on City AM readers to play their part in a once-in-a-lifetime battle for the survival of the centre right. Unless Conservatives can renew their arguments, they will be replaced by populists who only offer anger an no ideas “Strategy is an overworked and thus devalued word, and strategic thinking can be [...]
Spring Statement 2025: £2.2bn defence and weapons boost, Reeves to unveil March 25, 2025 Rachel Reeves is set to unveil a £2.2bn boost for the UK’s defence spending at the Spring Statement, including cash to kit out Royal Navy ships with laser weapons. The Chancellor vowed to deliver “security and national renewal” but warned “we have to move quickly in a changing world” amid rising uncertainty over future European [...]
City regulator faces grilling on Treasury’s growth agenda March 25, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was grilled by the Treasury Committee on Tuesday after it unveiled its new five-year strategy. Members of the committee questioned the gap between the government’s growth agenda and how the FCA was prepared to deregulate. Chair of the Treasury Committee Dame Meg Hillier, said the regulator’s structure led to it [...]
Retail sales plummet as trade fears and taxes weigh on confidence March 25, 2025 Retail sales dropped in March and are expected to fall further as low confidence worsens a decade-long decline in retail. Sales volumes in the UK dropped “markedly” in the year to March, according to the CBI’s latest trading survey. It was the sharpest drop since last July and marks the sixth consecutive months of decline, [...]
Small businesses to offload Reeves’ tax hikes onto customers March 25, 2025 Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have taken steps to combat the Chancellor’s tax hikes as they brace for further changes in Reeves’ Spring Statement. Fresh research from Grant Thornton showed 71 per cent of SMEs have formed plans to offload rising employment costs onto consumers – a 15 per cent increase from December. Almost seven [...]
Howden set to acquire consultancy Barnett Waddingham March 25, 2025 Insurance giant Howden has agreed to acquire professional services consultancy Barnett Waddingham
UK tech eyes tax moves in Spring Statement March 25, 2025 The UK’s tech sector is awaiting Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement, as businesses look for support from the government on AI investment, digitalised healthcare, and scam prevention. Industry heavyweights are urging the Chancellor to consider targeted tax incentives and upskilling initiatives. They have also called for stronger regulatory frameworks to support growth and innovation amid burgeoning [...]