‘Left in limbo’: Pubs and brewers disappointed as alcohol duty legislation pushed back July 21, 2022 Brewers and pubs have been “left in limbo” after the government has announced delays to the next phase of changes to the alcohol duty system. Draft legislation was set to be published this summer, to be consulted on before being introduced through the 2022/2023 finance bill. Ministers have been looking at how to introduce changes [...]
Big tech’s year of rough seas has taught us a lesson in naming winners and losers December 16, 2022 IF 2022 has taught us anything, it has shown us how there are no clear business winners or losers from the pandemic. The rough year for big tech is a case in point. Although many of the Faang (Meta neé Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Alphabet) cashed in on the various lockdowns, this year has [...]
Kellogg’s loses court battle against government over sugary cereal promotion rules July 4, 2022 Cereal giant Kellogg’s has lost its court case against the government’s new rules on the promotion of sugary foods in supermarkets. Kellogg’s had argued the government’s formula does not take into account the nutritional benefits of milk, which is typically consumed with cereal at breakfast. However, a ruling at the Royal Courts of Justice sided [...]
House prices continue to climb in nightmare scenario for first-time buyers even though buyer interest is slowing August 15, 2022 House prices continue to move firmly upwards and are still expected to be higher in a year’s time, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) this afternoon. The numbers are somewhat surprising given that surveyors have seen the longest stretch of shrinking buyer demand in the housing market since the early stages of [...]
Luxury fashion brands struggle to compete with celebs in the branded beauty craze April 28, 2024 “There has been a massive shift; we are inundated with brands now. The selectivity is really the main challenge,” Clare Horner, group beauty director at UK luxury department store Harvey Nichols.
London boroughs sound the alarm bells as skyrocketing inflation is eating £400m hole into budget June 20, 2022 Skyrocketing inflation is driving £400m of additional budget pressures on boroughs in the capital, London Councils warned this morning. Although the government increased local authority funding this year, fast-rising inflation has effectively cut £100m from the financial uplift boroughs received for 2022-23. London Councils, a cross-party group representing all 32 boroughs and the City of [...]
Cabinet not united: Minister Kit Malthouse breaks ranks and calls on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to cut taxes May 9, 2022 The government’s Minister of State for Crime and Policing Kit Malthouse has called on the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to cut taxes as soon as possible. The Chancellor should roll out plans to reduce taxes to tackle the cost of living crisis, Malthouse said during an interview on TalkTV. “The Chancellor has already signalled his desire [...]
Not-so-free-market Rishi isn’t perfect, but he’s the right choice right now October 24, 2022 Rightly or wrongly, Britain’s credibility is at stake – and right now, Rishi Sunak is more likely to restore confidence in the country’s government than either Penny Mordaunt or Boris Johnson The choice facing Conservative MPs today is a difficult one. They are behind in the polls, and fear for their political future. They are [...]
Netflix fall a sign investors are looking again for fundamentals April 20, 2022 When the electric carmaker Rivian listed on Wall Street last year, it was briefly valued at more than Anheuser-Busch. The latter, most famously, produces Budweiser; a beer that sells in great quantities for more than it costs to produce. It is a functioning, well understood business, and despite the best efforts of governments we remain [...]
Studying Boris Johnson’s £335bn idea of a bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland cost taxpayer £900,000 January 21, 2022 A study commissioned by Prime Minister Boris Johnson into which found it would be too expensive to build a bridge or tunnel between Scotland and Northern Ireland cost taxpayers nearly £900,000. The Department for Transport (DfT) said the research into the feasibility of a fixed link cost £896,681. Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy led [...]