New chancellor, same story: London is always left out of Whitehall’s plan for growth March 16, 2023 London won’t always keep growing if it is continually ignored by government. What will the Chancellor have to say then?
Budget: OBR says UK to avoid recession and is on course to grow every year after short blip in boost for Jeremy Hunt March 15, 2023 Britain will avoid a much-tipped recession this year and will grow every year until 2027 after a short blip, a massive reversal from economists warning of the longest contraction in a century just a few months ago, the country’s spending watchdog said today. UK GDP is on course to suffer a mild slump in 2023 [...]
Budget: Why Jeremy Hunt needs you back at work to prevent a recession March 15, 2023 This was a budget for the workforce. It showed signs of sparking the supply side revolution that Liz Truss championed, but crashed hard in trying to get there too quickly. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) thinks so. It projects the government’s collective policies designed to boost the labour market will provide a 0.2 per [...]
Explainer: Why Hunt extended energy support in the Budget March 15, 2023 One of the first announcements in today’s Budget was an extension on the energy price cap, keeping it at its current rate of £2,500 per household until the end of June. The cap was meant to expire next month, but Jeremy Hunt capitulated to the campaigners’ pleas and u-turned. He also probably realised he had [...]
Budget: Chancellor abolishes lifetime pension allowance saying ‘no one should be pushed out of the workforce for tax reasons’ March 15, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has abolished the pension lifetime allowance and increased the annual tax free pension allowance by 50 per cent to £60,000 a year. The measure was one of several unveiled in the Budget and aimed at encouraging an estimated 3.5m people of pre retirement age back into the workforce. Hunt said: “Turning 50 [...]
Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury benefits as Brits turn to books as affordable treat in cost of living crunch March 15, 2023 People turning increasingly to books as an affordable hobby in the cost-of-living crisis has helped Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury hike its full-year profit outlook. The group – which is also the publisher behind Bake Off star Paul Hollywood’s latest cookbook Bake – said it was seeing surging demand for titles in print, ebook and audio, [...]
Budget: Energy bills to drop £1,000 by July but will not fall below £2,000 by October March 15, 2023 Cornwall Insight has unveiled its price cap predictions ahead of the Budget, raising expectations of a sharp fall in energy bills.
London brought to a standstill as tube strike closes entire network and RMT lock horns with Sadiq Khan March 15, 2023 A strike by London Underground drivers has closed the entire network. Transport for London’s website shows no services are running on any Tube lines. The Docklands Light Railway and Elizabeth line are part-suspended because of the industrial action. Drivers in Aslef and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) walked out in a dispute over [...]
Zara owner sees sales soar to £28.8bn as young shoppers shrug off cost of living crisis to splash cash on latest trends March 15, 2023 The owner of high street fashion chain Zara said young shoppers remained to spend cash on the latest trends despite rising inflation and the cost of living crisis. Inditex, which also owns popular brands such as Pull&Bear and Bershka, reported a sales growth of €32.6bn (£28.8bn) up 17.5 per cent from the same period last [...]
Spring Budget 2023 – as it happened: Childcare costs, Brexit pub guarantee and plan for ’12 Canary Wharfs’ March 15, 2023 As Jeremy Hunt unveils his first full Spring Budget, we bring you all the latest news, opinion, analysis and reaction. Budget day – Live feed Support for parents with young children: Jeremy Hunt announced a series of reforms, starting “with the supply of childcare.” “We have seen a significant decline in childminders over recent years [...]