High street bosses plead Chancellor to slash business rates October 10, 2021 Around 20 retail leaders have called for a cut to business rates to ensure the high street’s pandemic recovery. Some 21 bosses – including leaders of Iceland and MossBros – have written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak and said urgent intervention is needed to protect businesses. “There are many views on precisely how the business rates [...]
Breakthrough week for historic corporate tax deal: 140 nations including Ireland are on board October 9, 2021 The international community is moving towards sweeping changes to how big multinational companies are taxed to prevent them from stashing profits in offshore havens where they pay little or no tax after 140 countries have agreed to sign the deal. Under the agreement, countries would enact a global minimum corporate tax of 15 per cent [...]
Raise interest rates now to stem inflation, warns John Major’s chancellor Lord Lamont October 9, 2021 A former Tory chancellor has called for an increase in interest rates as he wanred about the risks surrounding inflation. The Government’s policy of calling for wages to go up could further drive inflation if the boost is not accompanied by increased productivity, Lord Lamont said today. Amid soaring energy prices and shortages of workers [...]
Free Covid testing could be scrapped as Treasury looks to cut costs October 9, 2021 The government reportedly plans to scale back on free Covid testing amid concerns that the scheme costs the taxpayer billions of pounds. Discussions are underway in government over whether to scrap mass testing policies which allow people to attain free lateral flow and PCR tests the Telegraph first reported. France and Germany both announced that [...]
Nick Clegg says Facebook is ‘pleased’ with historic tax deal, even if it means paying more October 9, 2021 Nick Clegg, Facebook’s vice president for global affairs, said today the social media giant welcomes the corporate tax agreement that 140 countries around the world agreed this week. “We are pleased to see an emerging international consensus,” Clegg said in a statement sent to City A.M. this afternoon. Under the agreement, countries would enact a [...]
London needs some of Johnson’s ‘levelling up’ as inequality swells, says new report October 8, 2021 London is in need of some attention from Boris Johnson’s levelling up agenda, as the capital had the highest poverty rates even before Covid-19 – a pandemic which has widened existing inequalities across the board in the UK. Three in five, or 58 per cent, of people in poverty in inner London are in a [...]
Worker shortages threaten to derail London recovery October 8, 2021 LONDON is among the worst areas in the country being plagued by worker shortages. The volume of part-time workers available for work across the capital plunged at its quickest pace since records began, according to research by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and KPMG. A paucity of overseas talent and workers who were previously in [...]
Rain and fuel chaos kept shoppers away from the high street October 8, 2021 Shoppers were deterred from the high street last month because of rain and chaos surrounding fuel buying. Total UK footfall dropped by 16.8 per cent in September, compared to pre-pandemic levels, BRC-Sensormatic IQ data found. Out of all regions, London saw the biggest drop of 26.3 per cent, compared to 2019. The city has suffered [...]
Letters: UK Hospitality says VATsEnough October 8, 2021 [Re: Boris Johnson expected to reveal ‘national living wage’ hike, Wednesday]Hospitality businesses are being battered by a perfect storm of labour shortages, disruption to supply and escalating food and utility costs. Margins are being squeezed as they try to rebuild. Contrary to some perceptions, wages in hospitality have increased steadily, by approximately 20 per cent [...]
Smart solutions to food supply chain disruptions October 7, 2021 The food, gas, and fuel supply challenges that the UK has recently faced are a perfect illustration of the risks associated with imperfect supply chain management. These challenges will continue – and potentially increase – given increased customs checks, the ongoing pan-European labour shortage in key logistics industries, and the trend towards national resilience in [...]