Will the government’s £2bn affordable housing top-up make a difference? March 25, 2025 The government has ploughed a ‘top-up’ investment of £2bn into the UK’s affordable housing sector as part of its pledge to revitalise residential construction. Officials say it will get working people and families into secure homes, while detractors say it doesn’t go far enough and might even be less money than the sector had anticipated. [...]
Shepherd Neame: Pub prices to rise as Budget costs hit March 19, 2025 UK hospitality chain Shepherd Neame, Britain’s oldest brewer, has said it will increase prices at its pubs to deal with cost pressures from the government’s tax raid on businesses. The national living wage and employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) will both increase from April, as announced in last October’s budget. The increase in labour costs [...]
‘A good first step’: Construction industry largely in support of the planning bill March 12, 2025 The government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill entered Parliament yesterday, March 11, and has already provoked strong responses from the construction industry. So far, these responses have been largely positive, with praise for the government’s efforts to streamline the UK’s overstretched and over-regulated planning system. Stuart Evans, partner and head of planning at Anthony Collins, said there [...]
Checkatrade CEO: ‘My plan to get Britain growing again’ February 20, 2025 The chief executive of Checkatrade has revealed what he would like the government to change in order to boost British businesses and get the country growing again. Speaking during an up-coming episode of Morning Wire’s Boardroom Uncovered interview series, Jambu Palaniappan argued Labour should reform the rules around planning permission to made it easier for [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown founder: Labour has ‘worst cabinet of all time’ January 16, 2025 The billionaire founder of Hargreaves Lansdown has said that the current Labour administration has the worst cabinet of all time and will “wreck the economy” over the course of a full term. Peter Hargreaves, who set up the investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown from his bedroom in 1986, slammed the Labour government’s first six months in [...]
Taylor Wimpey: Higher demand buoys sales as firm preps for planning reform November 7, 2024 After a tough start to the year, Taylor Wimpey has reported signs of improving customer demand as mortgage rates fall and affordability pressures ease. The housebuilder said it remained on track to deliver UK volumes in line with previous guidance of 9,500 to 10,000 homes and operating profit consistent with current market expectations. In the [...]
MPs plan to question Shein boss as firm eyes London IPO November 5, 2024 A cross-party group of MPs will call in Shein’s boss to comment on the risk of forced labour in fast-fashion supply chains, according to committee chair Liam Byrne. The House of Commons business select committee is finalising plans for an inquiry into employment rights in the workplace, which will, amongst other things, examine the risk [...]
Autumn Budget 2024: Reeves commits £5bn for Government housebuilding programme October 30, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has committed in the Budget to more than £5bn of investment over 2025-2026 to deliver the Government’s ambitious plans on housing next year. In the Budget, Reeves announced a range of measures to support Labour’s target, including skills training, reforms to the planning system and additional assistance for affordable housing. She also [...]
Why Rachel Reeves’s Budget is making businesses nervous | Bonds & Ballots October 30, 2024 Morning Wire’s City Editor Charlie Conchie takes a look at all the alarms in the run-up to Labour’s first budget.
Bibby Stockholm: Profit rises for asylum seeker barge ahead of closure October 15, 2024 The Bibby Stockholm barge, which houses asylum seekers off the coast of Dorset, continued to turn a profit in 2023, it has been revealed. The three-storey vessel has posted a pre-tax profit of £167,035 for the 12 months, down from the £421,701 it reported for 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show its turnover [...]