Sunak under pressure to increase defence spending amid NATO warnings February 13, 2023 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is under pressure to increase the UK’s defence spending after NATO called for allies to boost ammunition production to support Ukraine. Tory backbenchers have issued stark warnings that Britain’s armed forces are “woefully ill-prepared” for a major conflict and that low defence spending is a “false economy”. It came as NATO [...]
Explainer: Sunak’s plan to grow the workforce February 13, 2023 With Parliament in recess this week, Rishi Sunak gained some time to go back to his desk and think about his priorities – much needed with a budget coming up in a month. Among those, one leading target in his mind is to get more people back into work to drive economic growth. The UK [...]
‘Lavish’ spending culture of government ministers including £345,000 ‘restaurant and bar’ bill revealed February 13, 2023 Ministers are accused of overseeing a “lavish spending” culture in Whitehall with taxpayers’ money wasted on luxury items, after Labour analysis of government procurement cards. Concerns were raised over alcohol and dining purchases by the Labour Party including almost £345,000 by foreign office officials in 2021 under the heading “restaurants and bars”, as well as [...]
Don’t let the NIMBYs win: Onshore wind is essential to UK’s energy future February 13, 2023 The government must commit to lifting highly restrictive onshore wind planning laws if it is serious about the UK's energy policy.
Davos has always been riding on a high but it’s in the grip of a downhill spiral February 13, 2023 For decades, political and business leaders have gathered at Davos, but the World Economic Forum has started to lose its shine, writes Eliot Wilson
Our growth problem won’t be fixed by tax cuts unless we get people back to work February 13, 2023 Growth is not simply a product of tax cuts, but of looking at policies across the board which could boost our economic output and keep our workforce strong, writes Neil Carberry
New hydrogen levy is ‘harmful’ and could stoke inflation, Tory MPs warn February 12, 2023 Plans for a new tax on energy bills to fund research into hydrogen have been opposed by senior Tory MPs arguing it would be “harmful."
Sharp under pressure to quit BBC after report finds ‘significant errors’ over Johnson loan February 12, 2023 BBC chairman Richard Sharp has been told that his position is “increasingly untenable” today after a report found that “significant errors of judgement” were made in helping to arrange an £800,000 loan guarantee for Boris Johnson while Sharp was applying for the top job at the BBC. Ex-JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs banker Sharp, who [...]
Best and brightest: Could international students be set for exemption from migration targets? February 11, 2023 The Education Secretary may challenge the Home Office’s plan to cut migration, arguing that the financial boost from international students to British universities was “hugely valuable”. Gillian Keegan said she is wanting to expand education export revenues from about £26bn to £35bn by 2030. Speaking with the Financial Times, Ms Keegan said the university sector [...]
UK lost out on £320m AstraZeneca factory: Hunt ‘disappointed’ after drug giant choses low-tax Ireland instead February 10, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said he was disappointed the UK “lost out this time” on a £320 million new AstraZeneca factory after the drugs giant chose the low-tax Republic of Ireland instead. The group had wanted to build a plant near its existing sites close to Macclesfield, Cheshire, but the “discouraging” tax rate had prompted a [...]