What will Boris Johnson’s ‘roadmap’ for exiting lockdown look like? February 22, 2021 Boris Johnson has vowed to set out a “roadmap” for lifting lockdown measures this afternoon, as the UK continues to make rapid progress with its vaccine rollout. While the shape of the timeline has yet to be revealed, the Prime Minister has said he will provide dates for lifting specific measures “if we possibly can”. [...]
Coronavirus: New York hospitalisations fall for the first time April 14, 2020 The number of patients hospitalised with coronavirus in New York fell for the first time today, leading to hopes that the virus may have reached its peak in the state. New York governor Andrew Cuomo said that total of 18,697 people were hospitalized across the state, down from 18,825 a day earlier and the first [...]
Exclusive: MPs call for clarity on Bounce Back Loan replacement as lenders shut door on SMEs October 28, 2020 An influential group of cross-party MPs has called for the government to replace the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) as soon as possible after lenders shut the door on new applicants for the state-backed coronavirus funding. All but one of the 28 banks eligible to lend money under the scheme have closed to new customers, [...]
Business organisations form coalition in response to coronavirus May 6, 2020 Leading employer organisations have joined forces to create a united voice for business in response to the coronavirus pandemic. A group of more than 20 organisations have formed the Business Action Council (BAC), which claims to represent more than half a million businesses across the UK. Its founding members include the Confederation of British Industry [...]
Pubs may have to shut to keep schools open, hints Number 10 August 3, 2020 Pubs may have to close in order to meet the government’s promise to reopen schools in September, Downing Street hinted today. The government is “planning for all people to return to school from the beginning of the autumn term”, and this may require venues to temporarily close in order to contain local outbreaks, said the [...]
GBP/EUR Update – Cabinet Reshuffle February 14, 2020 Reports over the weekend of tensions rising between the UK and the EU over trade negotiations meant that the pound got off to a shaky start this week. Despite this, sterling did make some gains later in the day, reflecting investors’ optimism that a suitable deal will be reached, despite reports that the EU may [...]
Screenshot: Who’s invited to the UK’s summer of fun? March 19, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: No 10’s power vacuum **Who’s invited to the UK’s summer of fun? **BT gets a broadband boost Media Moment of the Week: No 10’s power vacuum There are two main things to remember when unveiling your grand £2.6m briefing room to the world: make sure it doesn’t look [...]
If the chancellor stands up for small firms, he’ll be standing up for society as a whole March 6, 2020 Ever wondered how much small businesses hand over to the Treasury each year? Try £145bn in corporation tax and VAT alone. Factor in business rates, national insurance contributions, fuel duty, clean air charges and the insurance premium tax, and this big figure becomes, well, astronomical. We small business owners are resilient. We have continued to [...]
Boris Johnson’s approval rating plunges following Dominic Cummings scandal May 26, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s approval rating for his handling of the coronavirus crisis has plunged following the revelations about his chief adviser Dominic Cummings, a poll published today found. A poll from Savanta found that Johnson’s approval rating for his handling of the crisis is now below zero (minus one per cent), having dropped 20 [...]
DEBATE: Is there any point in members of the wealthy elite calling for higher taxes in response to Covid-19? July 14, 2020 In light of this week’s Millionaires for Humanity letter, is there any point in members of the wealthy elite calling for higher taxes in response to Covid-19? Gary Stevenson, inequality economist and trader, says YES. On Monday, 83 millionaires — myself included — signed an open letter calling on governments to raise taxes on people [...]