Will the last millionaire to leave Britain please turn out the light? October 9, 2024 More millionaires are leaving Britain than any other country in the world, taking with them investment, jobs and insights. And our loss is the rest of the world’s gain, says James Price Britain is due to suffer the biggest flight of millionaires out of any country in the world over the course of this next [...]
Marston’s in ‘strong’ position as pub chain outperforms market October 9, 2024 Pub operator Marston’s has reported sales growth ahead of the wider market and said its profit this year will be in line with expectations. The FTSE-listed firm told markets this morning that total retail sales for the 52-weeks to 28 September were 5.8 per cent higher than the prior year, with growth in like-for-like sales [...]
Businesses ‘cautious’ about the future as tax fears dominate, survey shows October 9, 2024 This was the first time in a year that business confidence had decreased, although the ICAEW noted that confidence was still double the pre-pandemic average.
The threat of higher taxes is already harming growth October 9, 2024 An important reason why there was zero growth in June and July is that households are saving bigger proportions of their incomes, says Paul Ormerod The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, had made no secret of her desire to make economic growth her top policy objective. She reinforced the message this week in an interview with the [...]
‘Challenging policy’: What the pushback to private school VAT plans reveals October 8, 2024 VAT… easy as ABC? It may not quite be Blair’s ‘education, education, education’ mantra, or Michael Gove’s multi-academy trusts. But for Sir Keir ‘my-father-was-a-toolmaker’ Starmer, there’s been one education policy that’s been front and centre of his manifesto and the first 100 days. This is, of course, the plan to impose VAT on private school [...]
Chancellor’s tightrope walk will leave us holding our breath October 8, 2024 By tradition, Chancellors are allowed a stiff drink at the despatch box as they deliver their Budget. Parliamentary records tell us that Gladstone enjoyed sherry and beaten egg while the most recent Chancellor to indulge in this ancient right, Ken Clarke, opted for a straight whiskey. Since then, there’s been nothing but water in the [...]
Wine sellers in ‘bleak’ alcohol duty tax burden warning October 7, 2024 Four of the UK’s biggest wine sellers have said that upcoming changes to alcohol duty will lead to price rises in a “bleak” warning to their customers. Majestic, Laithwaites, The Wine Society and Cambridge Wine Merchants are amongst the wine businesses who together launched a poster campaign against changes to the excise duty. Excise Duty [...]
Teaching unions urge government to delay private school VAT roll out October 7, 2024 Teaching unions have urged the government to delay the roll out of private schools having to pay 20 per cent VAT on fees, amid fears of job losses and a “significant burden” on HMRC. Reports emerged on Sunday that ministers were reevaluating the policy – after the Treasury initially declined to confirm it would take [...]
Budget: Rachel Reeves set to drop pensions tax raid plans, per report October 7, 2024 Rachel Reeves is reportedly set to drop plans for a tax raid on pensions over fears it could unfairly affect public sector workers. The Chancellor has been warned that a scheme to reduce the 40 per cent tax relief on higher earners could disproportionately impact teachers and nurses, the Times reported. Treasury officials told Reeves [...]
IFS backs death tax on ‘flawed’ capital gains to boost growth October 6, 2024 The “whole design of capital gains tax is flawed,” the Institute for Fiscal Studies has claimed, advocating for a complete overhaul of the tax rather than simply raising it. The influential think tank has advocated for scrapping the tax break of capital gains at death today, arguing that it creates a large incentive for people [...]