Tax experts question £3m family farm IHT exemption as not ‘realistic’ December 27, 2024 The government’s claim that family farms will benefit from a £3m tax exemption has been questioned by tax experts. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has argued in defence of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ move in the Budget to charge inheritance tax (IHT) on agricultural land worth above £1m. He said earlier this month that in a [...]
Can you complete Morning Wire’s Politics Quiz of the Year 2024? December 23, 2024 It’s been a busy year for politics in 2024. From elections in the UK and US, Labour’s first Budget in 14 years, farmers protests and more, how well do you remember the twists and turns of the past 12 months? Well, while you’re enjoying a mince pie and glass of Baileys, we’ve put together a [...]
A look back at the highs and lows of politics in 2024 December 20, 2024 With elections in the UK and US in 2024, a new government, and a fresh opposition leader, watchers of Westminster and elsewhere have had a busy year in politics. At Morning Wire we’ve followed every twist and turn as Labour secured an election victory in July, Donald Trump pulled off a White House comeback and [...]
It’s not just Waspi women, the government has taken everyone for fools December 18, 2024 You don’t have to agree with the principle of the Waspi women’s campaign to sympathise with their feelings of betrayal. Cynicism is one thing in politics, but saying absolutely anything to get in power will ultimately harm democracy, says Alys Denby Waspi stands for: Women Against State Pension Inequality. It’s a confusing name, because the [...]
Starmer’s diplomacy downplays “epic scale” of Chinese spying December 17, 2024 Yang Tengbo insists that he is not a spy and that he would “never do anything to harm the interests of the UK.” He was speaking yesterday after instructing his legal team to disclose his identity following the “high level of speculation and misreporting in the media and elsewhere.” Much of that reporting focused on [...]
‘Hammer blow’: Family firms call for inheritance tax consultation December 16, 2024 Family businesses are urging the government to consult on changes to inheritance tax (IHT), warning the move represents a “hammer blow” to the UK economy. Some 160,000 family-owned firms – represented by 32 trade associations – have written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves to request a formal consultation on IHT changes in the Budget. The letter, [...]
Growth is easier to destroy than to build December 16, 2024 Missions, milestones, foundations and pledges; Keir Starmer has unveiled them all since winning the election in July, but no amount of visionary rhetoric can compel an economy to grow. Since Labour’s election victory the British economy has whimpered to a halt. GDP flatlined in July and achieved a barely perceptible nudge up in August before contracting [...]
If we “re-wire” the state, how much should government do? December 16, 2024 There is a consensus that the state must be more efficient, but less attention has been paid to how much it should actually do, says Eliot Wilson The government has been talking in revolutionary terms recently about how Britain is run. When he appointed Sir Chris Wormald as the new cabinet secretary, the Prime Minister [...]
Home secretary criticised for not saying when small boat crossings will fall December 15, 2024 The home secretary has been criticised for not saying when small boat crossings will fall. Yvette Cooper has insisted the government has a moral responsibility to tackle the crisis, but refused to say when the number of people arriving across the English Channel will decline. The Labour minister was criticised by her Tory opponent for [...]
Currys reports £32m Budget tax hit December 12, 2024 Consumer electronics retailer Currys has become the latest company to warn about the impact of Labour’s tax raid on its bottom line. In its half-year results for the six months to 26 October 2024, published this morning, management said the estimated cost of recent tax policy changes could amount to as much as £32m. The [...]