Windfall tax revenue set to slump 40 per cent thanks to falling oil and gas prices June 27, 2023 The sharp fall in the price of oil and gas will lead to a huge drop in revenue from the government’s windfall tax. Announced in November of last year, the energy profits levy hiked an existing tax on oil and gas profits and extended its deadline until 2028. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt estimated that it would [...]
ExxonMobil sues EU over plans for bloc-wide windfall tax December 28, 2022 ExxonMobil has filed a lawsuit against the EU in a bid to overturn the trading bloc’s plans to impose a windfall tax on energy companies. The US oil major is seeking to challenge the EU’s authority to impose a 33 per cent levy on energy companies’ profits during the fiscal year 2022. Two of [...]
Iran seizes Greek oil tankers in escalation of Tehran’s spat with Western powers May 28, 2022 Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have seized two Greek oil tankers, after the Iranian government said it would take “punitive action” against Greece over its seizure of an Iranian oil cargo last month. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) said it had seized two Greek tankers sailing in international waters off the coast of Iran. The seizures [...]
The ECHR is a vital guarantor of our freedom October 3, 2024 Far from endangering our freedoms, the ECHR makes the individual, not the state, the centre of the international order, says Sam Fowles An immutable law of modern politics is that the louder a politician bloviates about “freedom” the more authoritarian they will be in power. The last government waxed lyrical about “freedom of speech” then [...]
Zara owner Inditex warns of challenges ahead after shutting Russian shops March 16, 2022 Zara owner Inditex has reported sales surpassing pre-Covid levels but warned of looming challenges after severing ties with Russia. The world’s largest fashion retailer said Russia was a major market, after it shut its 503 shops and suspended online sales in the country amid its war in Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine accounted for five per [...]
Shares in defence supplier Ultra soar as Kwarteng hints of £2.6bn takeover approval June 24, 2022 The £2.6bn takeover of UK defence supplier Ultra Electronics by private equity-owned Cobham is reportedly set to receive a green light from the government. Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced on Thursday that he is “minded to accept undertakings offered”, despite national security concerns. The move seemingly sparked the interest of investors, as Ultra’s share soared [...]
EU airlines’ shares tumble following airspace closure February 28, 2022 The shares of major European airlines have taken a tumble following the EU’s decision to close its airspace to Russia. Legacy carriers have registered a slump, with British Airways’ owner IAG going down 4.19 per cent, while German carrier Lufthansa registered a 4.76 per cent fall. Share of aviation colossus Air France-KLM went down 2.30 [...]
European Central Bank could be forced into 75 basis point hike to tame record inflation August 31, 2022 The European Central Bank could be forced to hike interest rates by a historic 75 basis points next week to tame the largest inflation surge on record, economists bet today. The monetary authority governing the 19 countries using the euro may have to respond strongly or risk elevated prices being embedded into the bloc’s economy [...]
Labour demands Truss and Anderson lose whip as pair rebuked by senior Tory February 24, 2024 Labour has called for Liz Truss and Lee Anderson to lose the Conservative whip over media appearances that also caused anger within Tory ranks. In a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday, shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth said “egregious” remarks made by the pair “cannot go unchecked or unchallenged”. Truss had used a [...]
Sunak under pressure to increase defence spending amid NATO warnings February 13, 2023 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is under pressure to increase the UK’s defence spending after NATO called for allies to boost ammunition production to support Ukraine. Tory backbenchers have issued stark warnings that Britain’s armed forces are “woefully ill-prepared” for a major conflict and that low defence spending is a “false economy”. It came as NATO [...]