Bank of England expected to raise interest rates by 50 points to post financial crisis high of four per cent January 26, 2023 The Bank of England is set to hike interest rates 50 basis points to four per cent next week, jacking them up to the highest level since the financial crisis, markets expect. City traders reckon its governor Andrew Bailey will lift borrowing costs for the tenth time in a row, something the UK central bank [...]
Triple lock: Pensioners could be set for inflation-busting state pension rise next April October 18, 2023 Under the triple lock, the state pension usually rises each April by inflation, wages or 2.5 per cent – whichever is higher.
Raising taxes on working people is ‘bananas’, economists warn March 30, 2022 Raising taxes on working people while shielding other forms of income from levies is “bananas,” according to a top wonk’s analysis of chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spring statement. Hiking employers and employees national insurance contributions 1.25 percentage points in April instead of using income tax to raise revenue is the “opposite of what everybody thinks we [...]
Kwarteng launches most radical tax cut programme in a generation September 23, 2022 Kwasi Kwarteng unleashed a tax cut bonanza in the House of Commons today, helping millions of Brits keep hold of more of their money
How is Sunak doing on halving inflation, cutting NHS lists and stopping boats? August 16, 2023 In January, Rishi Sunak unveiled the vision for his government. Five pledges; five clear goals; five ambitions for his ministers. His aim was clear: be seen as an effective, solutions-focused administration and, hopefully, reap the electoral rewards. “No tricks, no ambiguity; we’re either delivering for you or we’re not,” he vowed. Eight months in, and [...]
Crisis in Bangladesh shows that draconian regimes are always doomed to fail August 16, 2024 Repressive governments don’t just brutalise their people, they impoverish them too, writes Will Cooling
Let’s be honest immigrants aren’t responsible for Britain’s woes October 5, 2023 The Tories are using immigrants as a scapegoat for the economic woes facing Britain today but it's overtaxation and overregulation not immigration that has caused this mess, argues Matthew Lesh
Record number of Brits return to workforce but inflation continues to wipe out pay growth May 16, 2023 A record number of Brits are returning to the workforce in a sign that labour shortages that have held back economic growth and pushed up inflation are starting to unwind, official figures out today show. A net 251,000 people flowed out of economic inactivity in the three months to March compared to the previous quarter, [...]
Bank of England ditches any threat of recession in biggest GDP upgrade since 1997 independence May 11, 2023 Any threat of a recession in Britain this year and over the medium term has today been scrapped by the Bank of England in what was the largest upgrade to the central bank’s GDP projections since it was made independent in 1997. The UK economy is now tipped to broadly flatline this year and start [...]
King’s birthday honours: London Stock Exchange boss among business leaders recognised June 14, 2024 The boss of the London Stock Exchange, Julia Hoggett, has been made a dame today in a list of over 1000 “change makers and innovators” to receive gongs in the King’s birthday honours list.