Sunak’s subsidy scheme will save just one job per company in the business travel sector September 30, 2020 Last week, the chancellor outlined his Winter Economy Plan — trying to balance the needs of the economy with our health and wellbeing. No enviable task. Listening to his polished performance in the Commons, it would be easy to conclude that the chancellor’s new approach — underpinned by a Job Support Scheme and extended tax [...]
London faces emergency two-week lockdown as UK hospital deaths hit highest since July September 29, 2020 Ministers are drawing up plans to enforce sweeping lockdown measures across the country including a ban on household mixing in London, as new coronavirus infections continue to rise. Pubs, restaurants and bars may be forced to shutter for two weeks in both the North of England and in London, marking a return to so-called circuit [...]
Tory minister backs ‘1984’ ban on singing and dancing September 29, 2020 A government minister has backed the government’s ban on singing and dancing in public venues, warning that some jobs in the UK’s night-time economy will take a “long time” to return in the wake of the pandemic. Skills minister Gillian Keegan told Sky News’ Kay Burley this morning that emergency laws implemented yesterday to curb [...]
Hotel Chocolat swings to loss as pandemic bites into sales September 29, 2020 Luxury chocolatier Hotel Choclat swung to a statutory loss in the 52 weeks to June, after shuttered commuter hubs and store closures during the crucial Easter period swallowed up sales and hammered finances. The results Revenue rose three per cent for the 12 months to the end of June, after a 14 per cent hike [...]
The government’s short-term ‘cures’ are doing far more damage than the virus itself September 29, 2020 For the best part of this year, our societies have been torn apart by this Covid-19 pandemic. It has thrown challenges to all businesses and all people in almost every country around the world. My home country, Italy, was the first in Europe to see how devastating this virus could be. We all remember those [...]
Accountancy and finance teams must learn to embrace analytics September 29, 2020 The global pandemic has cast a new light on priorities across many different industries. Suddenly, the most important asset a pub can have is a large open garden. Low wooden beams and small rooms seem dangerous rather than charming and characterful. Public transport systems that offered efficient mass transit across cities are being shunned by [...]
Brand Trump is keeping Candidate Trump in the race for the White House September 29, 2020 Scandals and appalling press are usually bad news for politicians. Before the presidential era of Donald Trump, it was a given that major missteps, major insults to large groups of the population (especially the military), breaking the law, or being impeached were close to terminal for US presidents. It’s fair to say that President Clinton [...]
Exclusive: MPs slam ‘inconsistency and incompetence’ as SMEs struggle to get bounce back loans September 28, 2020 Banks have been told to ensure that no small businesses are “locked out” of government-backed coronavirus loans, after firms were left unable to access the loans despite being eligible for funding. MPs said lenders accredited under the scheme should re-open applications for bounce back loans (BBLs), designed to help small companies weather the pandemic. Barclays [...]
There’s no place like work: Office spaces still have a future September 28, 2020 There is talk that working from home has become so ingrained and that the old working arrangements are so untenable in this new socially distanced and digitally enhanced world, that it will force city centre offices to be entirely repurposed — and perhaps turned into vertical rabbit hutch towers of studio flats. This debate is [...]
Small business would suffer from a capital gains tax hike – not just investors September 28, 2020 Capital gains tax (CGT) increases were reported to be in the chancellor’s sights before the Autumn Budget was cancelled to allow Rishi Sunak to focus on his winter economic plans. However any changes to CGT down the line could discourage small business investment just when it is needed most, says Claire Madden. Has there ever been a [...]