Real wages are on the wane and it’s only going to get worse, say accountants November 7, 2016 Sterling’s post-Brexit vote collapse is hitting Britons where it hurts the most. In the pocket. Inflation is outstripping wage growth as businesses are forced to pass on increased costs associated with sterling’s slump to consumers, according to a report prepared by accountants BDO. “Rapidly rising inflation is quickly going to hit the pockets of UK [...]
Sadiq Khan reveals his spending plans for £3bn Treasury housing fund November 29, 2016 A huge injection of Treasury cash will be used to build a combination of homes to rent and buy in the capital following a deal between the government and City Hall. In the Autumn Statement, chancellor Philip Hammond revealed the Treasury has agreed to hand City Hall of control of £3.15bn in funding to develop 90,000 [...]
Philip Hammond is facing a huge £84bn shortfall in public finances over five years, according to policy experts October 26, 2016 Philip Hammond is facing a yawning £84bn shortfall in public finances over the next five years, according to policy experts. The chancellor is set to make his first Autumn Statement in just under a month, but sums from the Resolution Foundation suggest Treasury coffers are going to be under intense pressure thanks to economic turbulence. The think [...]
Hammond guarantees £4.5bn EU funding for farmers and scientists until 2020 August 13, 2016 Chancellor Philip Hammond has today pledged to match EU funding for British firms in the first guarantee of its kind since the UK voted to leave the bloc in June's historic referendum. Hammond has agreed that all UK projects that win funds under the various EU development programmes will be "fully funded, even when these projects continue beyond the departure from [...]
Autumn Statement 2015: George Osborne promises £3.4bn extra counter-terrorism spending in wake of Paris attacks but no police cuts commitment November 22, 2015 George Osborne has promised to spend £3.4bn extra on the country's counter-terrorism efforts over the next five years – a rise of 30 per cent – ahead of the Autumn Statement, as the government seeks support for military action to fight the rise of Islamic State (IS). Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, the chancellor said: "When it comes to the spending review, [...]
Autumn Statement 2015: Devolved powers for business rates and corporation tax mark a fundamental shift in relationship – but for the flag to fly, Whitehall really has to let go November 26, 2015 The chancellor used his Autumn Statement to show that he means business when it comes to devolution. Across the whole policy spectrum, George Osborne spoke about the role of the local as well as the national. No longer will all the answers come from Westminster and Whitehall. Instead, local leaders are being given the powers to [...]
UK wages grow at fastest rate since September 2015, while unemployment rate retains 11-year low January 18, 2017 Wages grew faster than expected at the end of 2016, while unemployment stayed steady at 4.8 per cent, as the UK labour market showed little sign of any short-term Brexit effect. Weekly pay grew by an annual rate of 2.8 per cent including bonuses from September to November, according to the Office for National Statistics. [...]
Construction industry still struggling for momentum October 14, 2016 British builders downed tools over the summer, as construction output missed economists' expectations in the wake of the EU referendum. Activity in the sector, which accounts for around six per cent of the UK economy, dropped by 1.5 per cent between July and August, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed this morning. The fall [...]
Theresa May’s statism is the wrong way to build a more prosperous post-Brexit Britain October 12, 2016 Labour has lurched to the hard left and Ukip does not currently seem equipped to capture the significant number of voters on lower incomes who are worried about immigration and the impact of globalisation. So it is understandable that the Prime Minister is seeking to seize the coveted centre ground. For that purpose, Mrs May’s [...]
Now is the time for the government to intervene on energy prices and override the Big Six firms November 22, 2016 This winter it is imperative that something is done to fix our broken energy market. Seven out of 10 households are still on the highest priced deals, paying some £300 more than they should – and too many of these are the most vulnerable in our society. The Competition and Markets Authority investigation report, published [...]