Thousands of stores fall off high street as retail woes worsen November 9, 2018 Fresh evidence of the retail woes facing Britain’s shopkeepers emerged this morning, with more than 2,500 stores vanishing from the high street over the first six months of this year. Some 14 stores have closed every day in the first half of 2018, as stiffer competition and higher costs make the retail struggle for survival [...]
Industry veteran Steve Morgan retires from housebuilder Redrow November 7, 2018 While much of today’s property talk has revolved around the bonus-related resignation of Persimmon boss Jeff Fairburn, rival housebuilder Redrow also bid its farewell to founder and chairman Steve Morgan. The industry veteran, who set up the FTSE 250 company in 1974, revealed he was retiring this morning a decade on from returning to the [...]
Good news – the evidence is in from across the Atlantic, and tax cuts benefit everyone November 7, 2018 From discussions on how the UK should reform its tax and regulatory landscape to make the most of post-Brexit opportunities, to the rallies midterm election candidates have been holding across the US championing or lambasting the President’s tax cuts, the debate is still raging about how changes to taxes impact economies. But if you need [...]
Hammond’s digital tax is an illogical game of whack-a-mole November 7, 2018 The introduction of a new digital services tax was the most depressingly inevitable part of Philip Hammond’s Budget speech last week. Years of pressure from a pincer movement of corporate tax moralists and traditional retailers have paid off. Starting in April 2020, profitable digital businesses with £500m in global revenues would face a two per cent [...]
EU leaders split on plans for a European digital tax November 6, 2018 EU member states have failed to reach a consensus on imposing an EU-wide digital services tax, which affects firms such as Facebook and Alphabet, over fears of potential US retaliation. The plan, which requires approval from all 28 EU member states, is opposed by many. The levy would see a three per cent tax placed [...]
From artificial intelligence to quantum computing, Britain is a tech superpower November 6, 2018 Thousands of leaders from across the tech industry are descending on Lisbon this week for the annual international Web Summit. I’m excited to be here to champion the success of British tech to a global audience of investors and entrepreneurs. Britain is unmatched in Europe at producing tech-savvy, billion-dollar businesses. Last week, banking startup Monzo [...]
Work should pay – for both high and low earners November 6, 2018 In a tense standoff with Labour MP Wes Streeting last night, chancellor Philip Hammond defended his decision to reduce the burden of income tax in the autumn Budget. The argument, played out in front of the Treasury Select Committee, was classic Tory v Labour fare. Streeting demanded to know why Hammond was cutting taxes instead of [...]
Hammond spies end of UK’s deficit despite Budget spending increase November 5, 2018 Chancellor Philip Hammond has said he believes the government’s target of eliminating the UK’s deficit is “within touching distance”, despite ramping up public spending and tax cuts in the Budget. Appearing before the Treasury Select Committee this evening, Hammond denied his 2016 plans to reach a budget surplus by the mid-2020s had been abandoned. However, he [...]
Business confidence hits lowest level since the financial crisis November 5, 2018 Confidence among UK businesses has fallen to its lowest level since 2008 amid a lack of progress in Brexit negotiations, according to new figures published today. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales' (ICAEW's) Business Confidence Monitor index showed a sharp fall in confidence since last quarter from -0.2 to -12.3, lower than after both the [...]
HMRC to sue General Electric for £770m over tax relief claims November 4, 2018 American industrials giant General Electric is being sued by HM Revenue & Customs over allegations it wrongly claimed tax relief amounting to $1bn (£770m). HMRC has accused GE of wrongly claiming tax deductions from 2004 to 2015. The tax man has informed GE that it intends to disallow interest deductions to its financial services arm, GE Capital. Interest deductions reduce the [...]