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 [...]
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 [...]
Growth set to return but fears persist ahead of budget October 7, 2024 City economists expect figures published on Friday to confirm that the UK grew 0.2 per cent in August, having been stagnant for the two months prior.
Retail bosses urge Chancellor to reform business rates to boost growth October 7, 2024 The letter, co-ordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), argued the retail industry paid 7.4 per cent of all business taxes when it only made up five per cent of the overall economy.
IFS joins calls for ‘serious reform’ of capital gains tax October 6, 2024 Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering a range of tax hikes in the budget, including to CGT, as she seeks to put the public finances on surer footing.
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 [...]
Reeves promises ‘guardrails’ around extra borrowing in budget October 5, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said she will introduce “guardrails” to ensure that extra borrowing for investment in her first budget is not excessive as she seeks to reassure investors about an expected rise in public debt. “It’s about making prudent, sensible investments in the long term and we need guardrails around that”, Reeves told the [...]
Why West Ham co-owner David Sullivan is selling his London mansion for a loss October 4, 2024 David Sullivan, the co-owner and chairman of Premier League side West Ham United, is selling his London mansion for a loss after slashing the asking price by £10m. The businessman, who is the majority shareholder in the London Stadium club, is selling the Marylebone property through Knight Frank for £65m. The mansion includes 10 bedrooms [...]
Labour capital gains hike would probably cost Treasury money, experts warn October 3, 2024 As the budget approaches, speculation is mounting that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is planning to reform CGT to help fill an alleged £22bn blackhole in the public finances.
Tory leadership: Jenrick warns of ‘big task’ to restore economic credibility October 1, 2024 Robert Jenrick has warned it will be a “big task” for the next Conservative party leader to restore the party’s “economic credibility” following Liz Truss’s calamitous mini-Budget. The leadership candidate, speaking at a Q&A for party members at the annual conference in Birmingham, told the audience he was “not happy” about the current levels of [...]