Retail sales growth slumps in October as consumers remain cautious November 5, 2024 Retail sales growth dipped in October due to pre-election anxiety, the latest figures have shown. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-KPMG sales monitor, retail sales in the UK increased by 0.6 per cent year over year in October, compared to 2.6 per cent growth in October 2023. Food sales nudged up 2.9 per cent [...]
UK resumes tech-focused trade talks with South Korea November 5, 2024 The UK is resuming trade talks with South Korea with discussions focused on boosting tech and digital services. British negotiators have flown to Seoul to meet South Korean counterparts today as talks restart in a bid to secure a modern, digital-focused trade agreement. It is the first time the discussions have recommenced under the Labour [...]
The NHS will soon cost more than the GDP of New Zealand November 5, 2024 Spending on health and social care will hit £200bn by the end of this parliament – more than the entire economy of New Zealand – as Britain heads towards being a £1.5 trillion state, says Emma Revell New Zealand sounds, by all accounts, like a pretty sweet country. For a start, it is one of [...]
No10 warned over risk of ‘killing off’ family-run firms November 4, 2024 Downing Street is attempting to weather a storm whipped up by entrepreneur James Dyson over changes to the inheritance tax treatment of family-run businesses. In an article in the Times, Dyson accused the government of “killing off family businesses, individual aspiration and economic growth” with their approach to death duties in the Budget. The high-profile [...]
No10 hits back as Dyson boss slams ‘ignorant’ and ‘spiteful’ Budget November 4, 2024 Sir James Dyson has branded Rachel Reeves’ first Budget “ignorant” and “spiteful” as he accused her of “killing off family businesses, individual aspiration and economic growth”. The British entrepreneur, 77, hit out at the Chancellor following the government’s first fiscal event last week, writing in the Times newspaper that Labour “hates British families”. He cautioned [...]
Data centres: The UK’s economic powerhouse? November 4, 2024 A new report claims that, given the right investment climate and policy support, the UK data centre sector could grow tenfold by 2035. TechUK’s report found that the sector could boost the economy by £44bn while creating over 40,000 jobs. The report also outlined how surging demand for digital services, fuelled by tech trends such as AI, [...]
Morning Wire Budget Breakdown: How Rachel Reeves’ decisions will impact business November 1, 2024 In partnership with Camarco, Morning Wire unpicked the key policies of Rachel Reeves' first budget and how they will impact business.
Scrapping non-dom regime branded ‘monumentally stupid’ by tax advisors November 1, 2024 Several leading tax and wealth advisors have told Morning Wire that scrapping the non-dom regime without a suitable replacement is a “monumentally stupid decision” that has already prompted some non-doms to leave. One of the key measures introduced in Wednesday’s budget was abolishing the non-dom status, a regime that allowed certain tax breaks for people [...]
Lord Pannick to take on government over VAT decision on private schools November 1, 2024 The government is set to face Lord Pannick as legal action has commenced over its decision to charge private schools VAT on fees
Budget 2024: Why the post-match politics are risky for Labour October 31, 2024 After months of speculation, Rachel Reeves has finally unveiled Labour’s first Budget in power. Coming in the wake of 14 years in opposition, this big tax and spend – and borrow – document is very much an ideological project, with the NHS, schools and low-paid workers among the big winners. The Chancellor may have ditched [...]