HMRC is failing to answer its phones and is not doing enough to tackle tax fraud December 17, 2015 No matter how bad your commute has been, your morning is still probably better than that of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) – after two separate reports highlighting the UK tax authority's shortcomings were released today. The National Audit Office (NAO) concluded that, while taxmen and women had come a long way in their compliance efforts, there [...]
Time to cut students from migration target December 1, 2015 For months, years even, a row has been brewing at the heart of government. It’s not about air strikes in Syria or tax credit reforms. It’s not about devolution or departmental spending cuts. It’s about immigration. Specifically, it concerns the question of whether international students should be counted in the official net migration figures. The [...]
Autumn Statement 2014: Here’s every single one of the chancellor’s “roads revolution” projects mapped December 2, 2014 Yesterday various politicians were dispatched to stand on hard shoulders and squint at maps as the government announced a £15bn plan to revitalise the nation's roads. The plan, which stretches from 2015-2021, includes a commitment to spend £3bn on new projects, with £6bn ringfenced for maintenance. It covers a £1.5bn scheme to improve the A14 [...]
London house prices: TfL files planning applications for its first residential developments at Nine Elms, Northwood and Parsons Green November 18, 2015 Transport for London (TfL) may be best known for signal failures, but London's transport authority also has recently announced plans to branch out into property development. Today it announced where its first developments will be, after it submitted planning applications in Nine Elms, Northwood and Parsons Green. Between them, the three sites will yield more [...]
City A.M. Awards 2015: Why this week’s event will get the City talking November 23, 2015 The wait is almost over. After all the build up, meetings, solicited and unsolicited input, the calculations, debate and analysis, one of the most important events of the political, financial and business calendar will be upon us. The City will be watching this traditional event on Wednesday, poring over the details in an effort to [...]
Autumn Statement 2014: Reactions to George Osborne’s announcement – from the City economist to the property expert December 3, 2014 THE BUSINESS GROUP Confederation of British Industry director general John Cridland Growing firms will benefit from business rates reform. We welcome continued commitment to deficit reduction. “These major changes on stamp duty and business rates will be a shot in the arm for families and growing firms as they look towards 2015. [...]
Autumn Statement 2014: Shares in RBS, Lloyds, HSBC and Barclays fall as chancellor outlines profit measures December 3, 2014 Shares in UK banks dropped in early afternoon trading as George Osborne outlined measures to limit the amount of profit lenders can offset by losses. In his Autumn Statement speech, Osborne said he would limit offests to 50 per cent, and delay relief on bad debts, which he added will raise £4bn for the Treasury [...]
With reform of Sunday trading laws put on hold, is England showing the world it’s closed for business? November 10, 2015 Adrian Pepper, managing director of Pepper Media and the founder of consumer group Open Sundays, says Yes You can now shop on the Champs-Elysees in Paris all day on a Sunday. But you can only spend six hours in the supermarkets and tourist emporiums of Knightsbridge, Oxford Street or Westfield. As things stand in the [...]
Estate agents in late-night stamp duty deal rush after Autumn Statement tax band change December 4, 2014 It was the early hours of the morning in Hong Kong when the phone rang. The person whose phone was ringing grew angry over the caller’s persistence at such an hour, but any frustration probably subsided when the individual ended the night £20,000 better off than they would have been otherwise. The deal [...]
Former Lib Dem minister Jeremy Browne fires warning shot over Clegg’s Autumn Statement no-show December 4, 2014 While the Tories may have reason to be cheerful with headlines in today's business sections, with pictures of George Osborne at the dispatch box slashing one of Britain's most hated taxes splashed across the newspapers, there was one member of the government who was conspicuous by his absence on the day of the Autumn Statement. [...]