Leviathan’s tentacles: How the true size of the state is hidden from the electorate April 7, 2016 The Institute of Economic Affairs published a “Nanny State” Index last week, showing the UK was the third most meddling country in the EU for intervening in lifestyle choices around cigarettes, tobacco, food and alcohol. This reminds us yet again that the Total Intervention Index (TII) for the state includes both tax and spend and [...]
High Street sales slip back into the red in February as shoppers hold out for bargains March 4, 2016 A resurgence in shoppers flocking to the high street at the start of the year came abruptly to a halt in February after sales slumped back into the red. Accountancy firm BDO's monthly high street track released today shows a 1.7 per cent fall in sales for February – the first negative growth for the month of February since 2012 [...]
David Cameron has set a dangerous precedent by opening up his tax returns to public scrutiny: Business, liberty and civility will all suffer April 12, 2016 The Prime Minister’s decision to open his tax returns to public scrutiny, while understandable, sets a precedent we may come to regret. However entertaining it is to see our leaders squirm under the searchlight, it’s a shallow pleasure. Longer-term consequences could include a further increase in the power of the state, reduced individual liberties, poorer [...]
Politics dictates a quick-fire Brexit – but a compromise is more likely than you think January 26, 2017 Let's show some ambition and optimism! There really is a deal to be done with the EU27 that works in our mutual interest as we head for the exit. Not that this will be easy. I have been struck by the unity of purpose expressed at the highest level by our continental counterparties. Michel Barnier, [...]
Markit PMI: UK services sector knocked in December by Living Wage fears and Brexit jitters January 6, 2016 Activity in the services sector fell slightly in December, new figures showed have shown, as businesses became increasingly nervous about the impact of the new National Living Wage and the outcome of the EU referendum. Figures by Markit showed the purchasing managers' index (PMI) stood at 55.5 in December – down from 55.9 in November, but above [...]
Business secretary Sajid Javid lays out measures to cut red tape by £10bn March 3, 2016 New comprehensive measures to help meet the government's commitment of cutting a further £10bn of red tape were announced today by business secretary Sajid Javid. While the UK already has the lowest burden of regulation in the G7 nations, according to the World Economic Forum, businesses across the country have been demanding more. Speaking at [...]
EU referendum: Ignore the scare stories – Brexit could offer school-leavers a rare opportunity to get better jobs and wages or build their own business March 14, 2016 We are all trying to work out just what a Brexit would mean for us, whether we are concerned about our pension, how we run a business or the perennial issue of house prices. But there is one group that may not have a voice come 23 June whose world could really be changed – the school-leaver. [...]
Whitbread shares plunge after “unusually warm winter” slows Costa sales March 3, 2016 Whitbread shares plunged by more than 4 per cent this morning after an “unusually warm winter” meant Costa’s sales slowed. The figures In the 11 weeks to 11 February, Whitbread revealed like-for-like sales at the coffee chain were up 0.5 per cent. Total sales were up 10.5 per cent. Like-for-like sales across Whitbread’s hotels and restaurants, [...]
Britain’s business groups attack “worrying” plans for a £1,000 charge on EU recruitment January 11, 2017 Business groups have hit out at proposals for a £1,000 charge to recruit European workers, warning the plan would Immigration minister Robert Goodwill told a House of Lords Committee earlier today that the Home Office was considering extending incoming charges for non-European recruits to all incoming migrants. From April, recruiting non-EEA skilled workers will see [...]
UK housing crisis: The next problem area will be retirement homes February 17, 2016 Talk of the housing crisis conjures up images of first time buyers trapped by sky high prices, as their income is syphoned off into rent. But alongside the cash-strapped "generation rent", there's another age group at risk: the next crisis may well be in retirement homes. At the heart of the difficulties in residential care lies [...]