‘Milestone’: UK first European country to join CPTPP trade bloc December 15, 2024 The UK has become the first European nation to join the CPTPP trade bloc after its membership formally took effect. Britain’s participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) came into force on Sunday, December 15. The major Indo-Pacific trade partnership comprises member states Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, [...]
Water bills set to rise by a fifth as government calls for ‘complete reset’ of sector December 15, 2024 Water bills are set to rise by at least 21 per cent as the government slams a "failure of regulation and governance" within the sector.
Cabinet Office to make hundreds of Civil Service redundancies December 12, 2024 Hundreds of jobs are set to be cut by the Cabinet Office, it has been confirmed, in a move which the government department said will create a “smaller, clearer structure”. A total of 400 jobs have been placed at risk at the department which is responsible for a range of functions across government. The Cabinet [...]
Property tycoon Nick Candy defects to Reform from Conservatives December 10, 2024 Property tycoon Nick Candy has defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK in a boost for the insurgent party. The former Tory donor, who is married to pop star and ex-Neighbours actor Holly Valance, told The Sun that there has been “too many broken promises and a complete breach of trust with the wealth creators [...]
Labour’s business backers – where are they now? December 10, 2024 Labour won the public backing of over 120 business chiefs in a letter before the election – but the enthusiasm of those executives appears to have dimmed since then. Morning Wire tried to track them down. It was a letter that seemed to signal a tectonic shift in British politics when it landed in newspapers [...]
Reeves promises ‘deeper, more mature’ economic relationship with EU December 9, 2024 Rachel Reeves has pledged to build a “deeper, more mature relationship” with European trading partners in the first speech by a UK chancellor to eurozone finance ministers since 2020. Speaking to the Eurogroup in Brussels on Monday, Reeves also brushed off the suggestion that Britain must choose between closer ties with the US and EU [...]
US likely to fall into recession under Trump, top economist warns December 9, 2024 The US is likely to fall into recession during Donald Trump’s second term if he makes good on his campaign promises, a leading economist has predicted. Paul Mortimer-Lee, a research fellow at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), said growth in the world’s largest economy could slump if the president-elect follows through [...]
OakNorth boss says ‘wealth creators’ leaving UK over tax hikes December 9, 2024 The co-founder and chief executive of challenger bank OakNorth has warned that “wealth creators” are fleeing the UK over tax hikes as he accused the new government of falling short on entrepreneurship. Rishi Khosla, whose start-up bank has lent more than £10bn to businesses since launching in 2015, told Morning Wire that “even when you [...]
Investors want to see ‘ambition’ from UK on climate change, Pinchbeck says December 8, 2024 Private investors are keen to see “ambition” from the UK government on climate change, the head of an influential emissions body has warned politicians. Emma Pinchbeck, chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, which advises the government on emissions targets, stressed that the private sector “likes a bit of ambition”. The former Energy UK CEO [...]
Boost ‘growth prospects’ with reset, Reeves to tell EU finance meeting December 8, 2024 Rachel Reeves will argue that a more business-like relationship with the EU can help Britain boost its “growth prospects”, at a meeting with the bloc’s finance ministers. Reeves will on Monday address the European Union’s financial heads in Brussels, becoming the first Chancellor to do so since Brexit, ahead of her next overseas visit to [...]