Rishi Sunak to unveil £500m extra funding for Covid jobs programmes October 3, 2021 Rishi Sunak will tomorrow commit to an extra £500m in spending to boost the government’s post-Covid jobs and skills programmes. Sunak will say in his Conservative party conference speech that he will “double down” on his promise to “do whatever it takes” to protect people’s jobs and livelihoods during the pandemic. It comes as the [...]
Sunak mulling emergency Covid-19 loan scheme extension October 3, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to extend the Covid-19 emergency loan scheme in a bid to support businesses amid intensifying cost pressures and severe worker shortages. Officials at the Treasury are reportedly mulling extending the Recovery Loan Scheme, which is set to end on December 31, according to reports in the Daily Telegraph. The extended [...]
Boris Johnson admits UK shortages are here to stay until Christmas October 3, 2021 Boris Johnson has admitted the UK’s goods shortages will likely last until Christmas, while adding that “we need to see” a “period of adjustment” post-Brexit. The Prime Minister said today that he would not “pull the lever” of more immigration in the short-term to stop the lorry driver shortages. Petrol shortages are still being seen [...]
Sunak and Johnson strike deal to wean government off borrowing October 3, 2021 Prime minister Boris Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak have brokered a deal to wean the government off borrowing to finance spending. Any new spending announced at the upcoming budget and spending review must be financed by reductions in spending elsewhere or tax hikes, Johnson has reportedly agreed to. The news was first reported by The [...]
FSB: Tax hikes risk severing Conservatives’ ties to business – CityAM : CityAM October 1, 2021 The Conservative Party’s ties to British businesses are at risk of being severed by looming tax hikes. The lobby group for British small businesses has slammed the Tories’ plans to raise national insurance at a time when firms across the country are grappling with higher costs and shortages. Also Read: Shortages and spiralling costs deal [...]
Gas prices hit a five-year high, just a day after three more suppliers go bust – CityAM : CityAM September 30, 2021 Gas prices have hit a five-year high today, a day after the UK’s gas crisis pushed three more suppliers to collapse. UK contracts for next month rose above 238p per therm, while wider European natural gas and power prices also touched new records. It comes as Rishi Sunak is set to announce £500m in grants [...]
Sunak to unveil £500m grants to ease cost of living for UK’s poorest September 30, 2021 Rishi Sunak is set to announce £500m in grants to help the country’s poorest during the current cost of living crisis the UK is facing. The chancellor is expected to announce in his Tory party conference speech next week that it will be put in place to help households cope with costs over what is [...]
Sunak should slash taxes at budget to protect recovery, urges taxpayers’ lobby group September 30, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak should slash taxes at the budget to prevent the UK’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis running out of steam. That’s according to the chief of the top lobby group for taxpayers, who warned looming tax hikes will hit hardworking families and businesses and cause the recovery to “fall flat”. John O’Connell, [...]
Furlough ends today: 1m Brits in limbo as thousands of firms face bankruptcy September 30, 2021 Uncertainty looms for the future of almost one million furloughed Brits as the government’s £70bn support programme ends today, after helping out millions of workers across the UK over the last 18 months. Economists have warned that although many may find work in recovering sectors such as hospitality and travel, there is also likely to [...]
Labour goes into bat for the City of London in future trade deals September 28, 2021 Labour is calling for the government to include more provisions for financial services in the UK’s post-Brexit trade deals, with one shadow cabinet minister praising the “tremendous work” of the City during Covid. Shadow international trade secretary Emily Thornberry said at a fringe event at the Labour conference that the economic crisis would have been [...]