Raise a glass: Sunak set to overhaul alcohol tax regime October 17, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to overhaul the UK’s alcohol tax regime to give English wines an advantage over foreign wines. Sunak is preparing to scrap onerous levies on sparkling wine and bring the tax charged in line with the same rate as still wine, wiping an estimated 83p off bottles of bubbly, according to [...]
Paper rail tickets to be ripped up across South East England October 17, 2021 Ministers are set to scrap paper rail tickets across South East England in favour of contactless payments. The contactless payments will be integrated into London’s Oyster card system. Transport officials reportedly want to expand pay-as-you-go smartcards in a pre-emptive strike against trade unions. The unions are opposing the potential closure of ticket offices across the [...]
Come dine with me: Johnson to host dinner for business leaders October 16, 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to host a dinner with some of the business world’s leading players – including Bill Gates and JP Morgan’s chief executive Jamie Dimon – reported the Telegraph. Invited to Downing Street, the 20 business leaders will be joined by the Prime Minister and the foreign secretary Liz Truss for [...]
Shapps echoes Sunak saying Christmas gifts will be available October 16, 2021 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has echoed Chancellor Rishi Sunak and said that Christmas gifts will be available despite the backlogs witnessed at UK ports. “People will be able to get things for Christmas,” he told Sky News. “When I talk to the ports they said it is a busy picture, but if you compared us [...]
Sunak to use September figures for autumn Budget October 16, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has asked the UK Office for Budget Responsibility to close its pre-policy measure forecast at the end of September. “Our pre-policy measures forecast was closed earlier than usual in response to a request from the Chancellor for more time to complete the Spending Review as well as the Budget (as was the [...]
Shapps echoes Sunak saying Christmas gifts will be available – CityAM : CityAM October 16, 2021 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has echoed Chancellor Rishi Sunak and said that Christmas gifts will be available despite the backlogs witnessed at UK ports. “People will be able to get things for Christmas,” he told Sky News. “When I talk to the ports they said it is a busy picture, but if you compared us [...]
Council taxes need to rise by at least 10 per cent to afford social care, warns Age UK October 16, 2021 Council tax would need to be hiked by 10 per cent on average next year if social care is to “stand still”, according to a charity calling for an urgent central government cash injection. Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decisions in the autumn spending review will determine whether social care services “wither and die”, stand still or [...]
West End bemoans business rates delays as reform heads for the long grass October 15, 2021 Central London bosses last night said another delay to business rates reform would be a “further blow” for beleaguered bars and restaurants. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has reportedly delayed a fundamental review of the levy, further rubbing salt in the wounds of West End businesses teetering on the brink after several lockdowns and fledgling return of [...]
UK supply chain crisis worse because of Brexit says French politician October 15, 2021 French finance minister Bruno Le Maire has said the UK’s supply chain issues are worse because Brexit cut off its access to the single market. “We are facing the same situation,” said Le Maire, confirming that France is also being hit by supply chain woes in comments to the BBC at a meeting of the G7. [...]
FCA chairman Charles Randell to leave post after over three years in the job October 15, 2021 The chairman of the City watchdog is stepping down from his post next year after over three years heading up the regulator. Charles Randell has asked chancellor Rishi Sunak to start looking for his replacement as chairman of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Randell intends to leave his post in the spring of next year. [...]