The party’s over: Pub bosses warn pint prices will rise despite Budget promises October 28, 2021 A major pub boss has swiftly ended the party for cheaper pints, warning prices could creep up by 25p to 30p in spite of the 3p price cut promised by ‘fizzy Rishi’ in Wednesday’s Budget. Speaking to BBC’s Today Programme, Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame, whose brewery runs 300 pubs across the South East, [...]
Post-Brexit reforms: Hunt aims to ‘turbocharge’ economy with biggest banking shake-up in 30 years December 9, 2022 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has unveiled plans to “turbocharge growth” with the biggest shake-up in banking reforms for three decades. His so-called Edinburgh reforms announced this morning seek to “seize the benefits of Brexit” by cutting EU red tape for the financial sector. The new measures build on the government’s Mansion House 2021 package, with a [...]
Ofgem considers halving price cap implementation period March 15, 2022 Ofgem has revealed it could halve the implementation period for the price cap - cutting it down from two months to one month.
Sunak cuts the Universal Credit taper rate to ease cost of living pressures October 27, 2021 Rishi Sunak has today cut the Universal Credit taper rate in a move that will put £2bn back into the pockets of the country’s lowest paid workers. Sunak announced in his Budget today that the taper rate will be slashed in December from 63 per cent to 55 per cent in a move that is [...]
Investment slump amid higher interest rates risks finally sparking UK recession June 6, 2023 A mix of factors are buffeting the UK economy right now. Spending power is being crushed by high inflation eroding family finances. House prices are coming off their heady heights as sellers drop prices to source buyers amid higher mortgage rates. External demand is thinning in response to weak consumer confidence amid a global cost [...]
Inflation could soar to over 22 per cent if gas prices stay high, Goldman warns August 30, 2022 Inflation could soar to the highest level since 1975 if global gas prices do not fall from their historic highs, a Wall Street investment bank warned today. The cost of living would climb to a peak of 22.4 per cent if the energy watchdog is forced to heap even more woe onto households by passing [...]
Back to the office: Business groups echo Sunak’s concerns about young workers August 3, 2021 Business groups have echoed Rishi Sunak’s warning that “young people in particular” are missing out on “valuable” experience through remote working. In an interview with LinkedIn the Chancellor cautioned that remote working can be a poor substitute for in-person workplaces. His comments follow the decision to lift guidance to “work from home where possible” on [...]
Our Channel dilemma won’t go away until we overhaul the asylum system November 4, 2022 Over the last few days, we’ve heard incredibly troubling stories coming out of the Manston centre holding migrants who crossed over the Channel. The facility is holding as many as 2,000 more people than it has capacity for, with few coherent plans to deal with the delays. The overcrowding has left families sleeping in marquees, [...]
Government should further consult finance industry on UK’s net zero path, says investment body December 16, 2021 The government should consult on a ‘transitional taxonomy’ to ensure the finance industry understands the country’s net zero pathway, the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF) has urged. In a government policy briefing today, the group will also caution policymakers to avoid a mandatory approach to carbon targets and instead encourage a broader range [...]
More than 250 hospitality bosses call for VAT freeze as diners hit by rising costs February 7, 2022 Restaurant bosses from big names including JD Wetherspoon and Greene King have signed a letter to the Chancellor calling for a VAT freeze at 12.5 per cent. In an open letter to Rishi Sunak, more than 250 hospitality businesses have called for a re-think of plans to hike the VAT rate back to 20 per [...]