Starmer and Reeves ‘credibility shot’ after pubs tax U-turn, says Badenoch Politics The credibility of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves has faced a bruising after they were forced to make a dramatic U-turn on their business rates reform for pubs, the leader of the Conservative party has said. Ministers are set to water down the business rates bombshell slapped on pubs following fierce [...]
Britain does not have to accept industrial decline Opinion Britain's industrial decline was not inevitable. It's time to revive Britain's industrial economy as a national priority, writes Rian Chad Whitton.
On this day 1799: Britain’s first income tax Opinion On this day, 9 January 1799, Britain introduced its first 'temporary' income tax. Workers have been vexed ever since, writes Eliot Wilson.
HSBC to cough up £230m over dividend tax-fraud claims January 8, 2026 European banking juggernaut HSBC is set to cough up nearly £230m to settle an investigation relating to tax-fraud claims. The FTSE 100 titan was accused of helping foreign investors evade taxes on dividends through a sophisticated financial manoeuvre known as ‘cum-cum’ trading. This relates to a series of transactions between 2014 and 2019, which were [...]
Majestic Wine blames Reeves’ tax hikes as profit slashed January 7, 2026 Majestic Wine has blamed Rachel Reeves and her tax policies for its profit almost slashing in half during its latest financial year. The Watford-based business said the “economic environment became more challenging” during the 12 months to 31 March, 2025, especially after the general election and the Chancellor’s first Budget. The chain added that these [...]
Cancelling unwanted direct debits could revive your pension January 6, 2026 Cancelling unwanted direct debits could add thousands to Brits’ pension pots, as more people look to rein in unnecessary spending to beef up their retirement savings. The average Brit wastes nearly £40 a month on direct debits they no longer need or regularly use, such as streaming services, gym memberships and old insurance policies, according [...]
Businesses are suffering financial losses from faulty AI advice January 6, 2026 Half of UK accountants and bookkeepers have said businesses have suffered financial losses due to AI slop that has caused ‘avoidable mistakes’ in the books. New research by Dext found that nearly a third (31 per cent) of accountants and bookkeepers encounter client mistakes on a weekly basis, caused by wrong or misleading AI-generated financial [...]
Cost burden on firms rise at fastest pace since May January 6, 2026 Cost burdens on firms rose at their fastest pace since May as bosses dealt with wage growth pressures and sky-high energy prices, new data has indicated. S&P Global’s latest purchasing managers’ index (PMI), a monthly survey tracking hundreds of companies’ performances, showed that cost increases became heavier at the end of last year. Researchers said [...]
Business rates reform must even playing field between high street and online January 6, 2026 Bricks and mortar businesses are being unfairly punished by outdated business rates in need of reform, writes Ros Morgan
Finance chiefs fearful of war and geopolitical risks January 6, 2026 Finance chiefs have begun the year fretting over the spectre of war and rising global tensions as President Trump’s shock operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro put investor nerves on edge. A quarterly survey by Big Four accounting firm Deloitte showed that “geopolitical risks”, which can include everything from higher tariffs to conflict and [...]