Inheritance tax shows just how antiquated our system is and how much we’re losing December 9, 2022 Ultimately, the UK tax system remains rooted in 19th century principles. It requires modernisation as well as simplification. But it’s not a priority for government,
Exclusive: London’s councils are half a billion in the red. Council Tax will go up – but will it be enough? December 9, 2023 London’s councils are trapped in a “perfect storm” after research found the boroughs are teetering on the financial brink facing a half a billion pound deficit.
If we want Britain to be the next Silicon Valley, we need an Open University for skills November 30, 2022 The UK has a proud history as a technology pioneer: from the steam engine to the worldwide web, British inventors have been at the forefront of technologies that have transformed lives across the world. But today our status as one of the world’s leading science and technology hubs is under threat. Digital skills shortages, which [...]
Hunt hopes for an uneasy peace between the markets, voters and his own party November 21, 2022 At the dispatch box, Jeremy Hunt opted to forgo the traditional Budget day whisky when he delivered the Autumn Statement. Given the task he was facing, you could forgive him for having a drink. Burgeoning estimates of the fiscal black hole were well trailed by a Treasury desperate to manage expectations. The final figure was [...]
Stabilising the economy depends upon ensuring new start ups stay in our shores November 28, 2022 Tonight I will welcome the Prime Minister, the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and guests from across the City – and beyond – to Guildhall for the annual Lord Mayor’s Banquet. While the worst of the pandemic is behind us, we are facing the bleakest economic outlook that we [...]
Wind farm with potential to power 1.5m UK homes halted as industry urges government to bolster supply chains July 20, 2023 Plans to build a new UK offshore wind farm that could have powered up to 1.5m homes have been halted today amid concerns over rising costs.
Taxman grabs 30 per cent more from Brits over last five years November 23, 2022 The amount of money the taxman takes away from Brits has climbed 30 per cent over the last five years, City A.M. analysis of official figures shows. In the year to 31 October this year, HMRC collected £757bn in taxes, up from £584bn in 2015/16, stats out this week reveal. The rise in tax revenues [...]
We will all feel the squeeze, but squeeze too hard and tax receipts will dry up November 18, 2022 Doom and gloom was the name of the game in the run-up to the Autumn Statement. Yet the measures delivered by the chancellor ended up being more positive for hospitality businesses than many had feared. It was a pragmatic response to a turbulent economic market. Crucially, it delivered stability. The one important part missing, however, [...]
Let’s be honest, we can’t blame today’s financial pain on Liz Truss’s mini budget November 17, 2022 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement is expected to contain a gloomy mixture of tax hikes and spending cuts. We will be told this is absolutely necessary to plug the fiscal hole left by the Truss government. The latest estimate is that the government is looking for up to £60bn a year by 2027-28. Last weekend [...]
Everyone wants a pay rise, but we will have to pay with cuts to jobs or services November 16, 2022 The nation seems to be in the grip of an epidemic of cognitive dissonance. Where is Matt Hancock when we really need him to impose a lockdown and save us from this menace? Two major events have put huge strain on the public finances. The pandemic led to government borrowing of some £400bn, around 20 [...]