Strong governments must be prepared to upset the markets (a bit) November 12, 2024 The bond markets are a potent opposition, but governments must be prepared to take risks if they are ever to reap rewards, says Charles White-Thomson With a large majority and an election years away, the Prime Minister and Chancellor likely don’t feel the need to worry too much about what the electorate think. But one [...]
Labour will be thinking global, but their fortunes depend on the local November 12, 2024 Labour strategists will be focused on what Trump’s victory means for Britain and the world, but the government will soon face big challenges at the local level, says James Nation Following on from the US election result, takes abound on what Trump 2.0 means for the world and for the UK. On the economy, there [...]
Property prices hit record high as analysts warn rise will continue November 7, 2024 House prices have hit a record high as analysts suggest higher demand has come up against a continued shortage in the housing supply. The cost of the average UK home reached £293,999 in October, the highest ever recorded, outstripping the £293,507 reached in June 2022, according to Halifax. The 0.2 per cent rise is the [...]
Labour’s ‘growth’ agenda already looks like a bad joke November 7, 2024 Well, that didn’t take long to unravel: the first Labour Budget for nearly 15 years, and the first ever by a female chancellor, saw the parallels with Kwasi Kwarteng’s infamous 2022 mini-Budget emerging within hours. The comparison was misguided, although the jittery reaction of financial investors and rise in government funding costs told its own [...]
Old Trafford decision could be pushed until spring November 5, 2024 Manchester United are set to delay a decision on whether to refurbish Old Trafford or build a new “Wembley of the North” until next year. The club, owned by the Glazer family and billionaire Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, had intended to make the call by the end of the year but it has now [...]
Government ‘would breach fiscal rules with minor rate rise’ November 5, 2024 The Chancellor would be in breach of her own fiscal rules if interest rates remain just 30 basis points higher than the fiscal watchdog forecasts, Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) economists have said. Giving evidence to the Treasury Committee, OBR member Tom Josephs told MPs that his colleagues conducted analysis that found “a change of [...]
The NHS will soon cost more than the GDP of New Zealand November 5, 2024 Spending on health and social care will hit £200bn by the end of this parliament – more than the entire economy of New Zealand – as Britain heads towards being a £1.5 trillion state, says Emma Revell New Zealand sounds, by all accounts, like a pretty sweet country. For a start, it is one of [...]
How will Reeves’ Budget impact London transport and TfL? November 4, 2024 Debate over Rachel Reeves' first budget has dominated the media. How will it impact Londoners looking to get around the capital?
Autumn Budget 2024: Government to examine ‘tough alternatives to custody’ in prison reforms October 30, 2024 The Chancellor has revealed a £2.3bn investment in prison expansion to create thousands of new prison places, as the government aims to "repair the justice system"
Autumn Budget 2024: Reeves scraps British ISA plans October 30, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves failed to make any changes to Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), keeping annual subscription limits fixed, while confirming that the British ISA would be scrapped. The annual ISA allowance has been constantly been upped in recent years, starting at £7,000 in 1999, then to £7,200 in 2008, £10,200 in 2011, £15,000 in 2014, [...]