Pension tax relief: Reeves warned of ‘backlash’ – but offers up roadmap for firms September 3, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has declined to rule out increasing taxes on pensions in the upcoming Budget, sparking fresh warnings over “anti-growth” policies. Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Reeves refused to “speculate about what will be in the Budget” when asked to give savers “peace of mind” over rumoured annuity levies. Despite failing to give [...]
Pound’s rally fades ahead of crucial US jobs data September 3, 2024 The pound’s stunning rally has stalled as traders look for direction amid a quiet week in the data calendar for the UK. Sterling was trading 0.2 per cent lower against the dollar at around $1.311 having lost over one per cent against the greenback in the past five days. The dollar has been trading around [...]
Supermarket and McDonald’s bosses to meet ministers over workers’ rights reforms September 2, 2024 Bosses from UK supermarkets and McDonald’s are set to meet government ministers to be updated on plans for new laws around workers rights. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds will join John Lewis CEO Nish Kankiwala; Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts; Claire Costello, chief people and inclusion officer at the Co-Op; and [...]
Mortgage borrowing hits highest level in nearly two years August 30, 2024 The amount of mortgage debt Brits took on in July reached its highest level since November 2022 in another sign that consumer confidence is returning. Brits borrowed £2.8bn of mortgage debt in July, the highest since £.2bn in November 2022 and up from £2.6bn in June, according to the latest Money and Credit data from [...]
Starmer can’t keep blaming everything on the Tories August 29, 2024 Starmer will soon find out that he can’t keep piously contrasting himself with the previous government while snatching benefits from pensioners, promoting party donors and paying off his pals in the trade unions, says William Atkinson The most important number for Keir Starmer’s government isn’t 411 seats he won, the £22bn black hole that Rachel [...]
City sounds alarm over Starmer’s ‘painful’ Budget warning August 28, 2024 City figures have sounded the alarm over the Prime Minister’s warning of a “painful” Budget this autumn, urging him not to “punish risk takers” and warning against “taxing wealth creators”. Sir Keir Starmer delivered his first major address from the No10 Rose Garden on Tuesday as he cautioned that the state of the public finances [...]
Starmer to woo investors as new UK-Germany deal talks launched August 28, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer is set to woo major investors during a European trip which will see him launch negotiations for a major new UK-Germany treaty. The Prime Minister is set to meet bosses from Siemens Energy and Rheinmetall, as well as investors from Thales, Eutelsat, Mistral AI and Sanofi during visits to Berlin and Paris. [...]
Starmer pledges ‘wealth creation’ – but can his policies deliver it? August 27, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has cautioned voters his government’s first fiscal statement would be “short-term pain for long-term good”.
Oasis: UK economy set for ‘supersonic’ boost with reunion tour including Wembley gigs August 27, 2024 Statisticians can look forward to endless queries about Oasis' impact on the economy after the mercurial Mancunians announced a long-awaited reunion tour.
Bunzl: FTSE 100 giant upgrades profit guidance amid record year for acquisitions August 27, 2024 Specialist distribution group Bunzl has upgraded its profit guidance once more and reported a strong first half as its resilient business model continued to hold up. The FTSE 100 company reported a decline in revenue of 0.4 per cent at constant exchange rates to reach £5.7b, with “underlying revenue trends improving in the second quarter [and] [...]