Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered Labour’s first Budget in 14 years, announcing £40bn of tax rises, Central London Alliance comments
Looking for a mansion tax loophole? If your house is worth less than £3m, don’t try splitting it up January 28, 2015 In the very late 17th century, when owners of large properties wanted to avoid paying a very unpopular tax, they bricked up their windows. And now, owners of properties that would be affected by Labour’s proposed mansion tax are already seeking ways to get around this 21st-century levy, even though it might not be imposed. [...]
The City is well-placed to help fast-growing economies diversify January 25, 2015 A recent statistic has been stuck in my mind over the past few weeks. I read that the G7 nations currently account for around half of the world’s total economic output, but that the figure will fall to about a quarter by 2050. This simple fact explains why countries like the UK are so keen [...]
Balls hits back at Labour critics of mansion tax January 20, 2015 A ROW erupted in the Labour party yesterday over its key mansion tax proposal. The shadow chancellor Ed Balls insisted that “there’s a tried and tested way to do this. People will be able to get an independent evaluation, which HMRC will use….Of course it will work.” He was forced on to the defensive in [...]
London must come together to address the challenge of population growth January 11, 2015 The City of London Corporation has a uniquely diverse role. As lord mayor, my job is no exception, as the most cursory glance at my diary will tell you. One minute I’m in my wellies on Hampstead Heath, meeting our talented staff there, and the next I’m overseas promoting British business. But of all the [...]
City of London’s hot air balloon to make maiden voyage in Lake Havasu festival January 8, 2015 Knock, knock, which member of the Lord Mayor’s City of London team is most full of hot air? The hot air balloon, obviously! No, we didn’t know they had a hot air balloon either, but here it is and The Capitalist has discovered it will make its maiden flight in foreign airspace. The balloon, along [...]
City of London Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow reveals his charity plans December 18, 2014 New Lord Mayor of the City of London Alan Yarrow has set his sights on raising funds for Mencap and Scope – two charities close to his heart. I am honoured to be The Lord Mayor of the City of London. Amongst a raft of business and civic duties, my wife Gilly and I are [...]
City Matters: India is a sleeping economic giant – the City stands to gain from its rise December 14, 2014 IN RECENT years, the UK has traded more with Ireland than all of the Bric nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China) put together. That fact has been rolled out regularly by our politicians over the past few years. And it also explains why trade delegations led by the Prime Minister and other ministers to emerging [...]
Christmas charity: Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow calls on City to support disabled children December 4, 2014 This Christmas, City A.M. is presenting five of our favourite charities to provide our readers with some inspiration for festive charitable giving. Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow is still settling into his new role, but he’s already put in place a strong case for The Lord Mayor’s Appeal and the main charities it is [...]
London can’t build a robust UK economy alone: We must unlock the regions November 30, 2014 In my first official engagement as lord mayor outside the M25, visits to Liverpool and Manchester were ideal places to kick-start my programme for the year. While my time in each northern powerhouse city was limited, it helped to set my agenda for the forthcoming year. Politicians love the term “rebalancing the economy”. It’s kept [...]
The politicians brought down by Twitter: Emily Thornberry’s Rochester nightmare, Diane Abbott’s divide and rule and Miliband’s Bob Holness disaster November 21, 2014 After a storm on Twitter which was then picked up by the mainstream press, Islington MP Emily Thornberry resigned from the shadow cabinet last night. While pounding the pavements of Rochester and Strood, the Labour MP tweeted a picture of a white van parked in the driveway of a house displaying several England flags with the [...]