Autumn Statement 2013: What it means for UK entrepreneurs December 8, 2013 ENTREPRENEURS are rarely political animals and don’t often get involved in the dirty business of politics. However, there are few people who are more impacted – for better or worse – by public policy. As such, every time the chancellor stands up to speak, entrepreneurs and small business owners should take note. The news from [...]
Report warns deficit worse than expect: Conservatives would miss 2018/19 surplus targets November 23, 2014 A Conservative government would miss its own target to run a surplus by 2018/19 under new projections out today, which show the deficit is much higher than originally thought. The news will come as a heavy blow to both David Cameron and George Osborne just a week ahead of the Autumn Statement. Independent think tank [...]
As public borrowing remains high, is Osborne’s failure to tackle the deficit a cause for concern? November 23, 2014 David Kern is chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce, says Yes. October’s public finance figures have provided further evidence that the government’s plan to reduce Britain’s deficit in the current financial year is unlikely to be realised. It’s a major concern that the deficit has remained unsustainably large since the crisis, and progress [...]
Autumn Statement: How it may affect your finances December 3, 2013 With interest rates already at record lows, the chancellor may have more bad news in store for savers Coverage of the chancellor’s Autumn Statement tomorrow will no doubt focus on the predictable headline-grabbers – fuel duty freezes, corporation tax changes, and heavily-trailed action on energy bills are all candidates. But for savers and investors, some [...]
Ed Miliband tells David Cameron he is “getting excuses in early” with global economy warning November 17, 2014 Ed Miliband has accused the David Cameron of “getting his excuses in early” with warnings of “red lights flashing on the global economy”. The Prime Minister wrote in the Guardian today that in the midst of a global slowdown, the UK must stick to the government’s long-term economic plan which he said has seen [...]
Universities are on the frontline in the UK’s battle against Islamic extremism July 21, 2015 Mohammed Emwazi, Michael Adebolajo, Seifeddine Rezgui – by all accounts quiet, unassuming individuals until they became ISIL’s celebrity executioner, Lee Rigby’s murderer, and author of the Tunisian massacre respectively. Insofar as any common thread binds this grim trio and all too many other recent terrorists, it is not poverty, deprivation or social isolation, but their [...]
Pensioners have “stopped being poor” but their benefits will top £12bn by 2019, says IFS boss November 25, 2014 Government benefits for pensioners will cost £12bn more per year by 2019 if the current system is kept in place, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). The massive increase in spending would come about even though pensioners are on average wealthier than those still in work. The IFS argued "pensioners as a group [...]
UK house price growth slows, but prices are five times average earnings December 4, 2014 House prices across the UK were up 8.2 per cent in the year to November, another month of slower growth after October's 8.8 per cent rise. The price to earnings ratio is ticking up, however, and has reached a multiplier of 5.02. Halifax’s house price index also showed quarterly prices up 0.7 per cent (slowing [...]
These three huge events could overshadow Osborne’s Autumn statement December 5, 2013 While investor and media attention will hang on what chancellor George Osborne will unveil at today's Autumn statement – we're not expecting anything significant. We'll probably see some token giveaways, and ever more complexity added to our tax regime in the form of hikes. The composition of measures that Osborne selects will be telling, but [...]
City A.M.’s bumper Autumn Statement preview December 3, 2013 As chancellor George Osborne gets set to unveil this year's Autumn statement on Thursday, we've pulled together all the expected announcements, and what others are hoping for. Ladbrokes have 11/5 odds on the speech to run for 45 to 50 minutes (it's scheduled to start at 11.15am). You'll get 6/4 odds on the speech running [...]