How Conservatives won World War Two October 3, 2024 World War Two is meant to be ‘the people’s war’ in which ordinary people rose up, saved the nation and swept the Labour party to victory in 1945. That story is at best misleading and at worst untrue, says Kit Kowol The Second World War was the Tories War. Other than describing a love of [...]
Let’s be honest… the Conservatives are deluded October 3, 2024 The Conservative Party is enjoying the sugar rush of a leadership campaign, but the grim reality of opposition will soon sink in, says Matthew Lesh The vibe at the Conservative Party conference this week in Birmingham was chipper. Well-lubricated members excitedly shuffled between drinks receptions headlined by the four leadership contenders. There were impromptu rallies, [...]
Bank of England: Markets need to be prepared for ‘severe but plausible stresses’ October 2, 2024 Officials at the Bank said that the “significant but short-lived spike in volatility and falls in equity indices” seen in early August demonstrated the risks facing global markets.
Is Rachel Reeves planning a £24bn pension tax raid? October 1, 2024 It has been reported that the Treasury is considering what could amount to a £24bn pension tax raid as Rachel Reeves tries to plug her £22bn budget black hole. The Chancellor has reportedly been looking at tax relief on pension contributions, specifically, employers’ national insurance relief. There are two forms of national insurance. Employees, paid [...]
Business confidence takes ‘large dive’ in September as budget fears intensify October 1, 2024 Optimism in the economic outlook fell to its lowest level since 2022.
Tory conference: Hunt warns Labour against ‘catastrophic’ Budget tax hikes September 30, 2024 Jeremy Hunt has warned Labour against making “catastrophic mistakes” in the Budget and hiking up “tax in a way that destroys growth”. The shadow Chancellor issued a stark warning to the government as he spoke at the annual Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. Asked at an in-conversation event on Monday, if things could get worse, [...]
Labour’s relationship with business was never a love match September 30, 2024 A shambolic ‘business day’ at Labour Party conference reveals the government’s true feelings about the City, says Eliot Wilson Only those addicted to Sir Keir Starmer’s own-brand Flavor Aid would claim that last week’s Labour Party conference was an unqualified success. Assessments were mixed, but it was not the joyful fiesta a new government might [...]
Senior minister ‘disappointed but not surprised’ at Duffield resignation September 29, 2024 A senior cabinet minister has said he is “disappointed” but “not surprised” at Rosie Duffield’s resignation from the Labour Party. The Canterbury MP’s decision to resign and sit as an independent had been coming “for quite a long time”, Pat McFadden told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show. Duffield announced she was resigning the [...]
Pay tax on your gifts, top accountancy firm warns politicians amid Labour row September 26, 2024 Politicians should pay tax on gifts in the same way that other industries and individuals do, a leading accountant has said. Currently, firms and workers in sectors where gifting is commonplace and an element of their profession – such as the media industry or online influencers – are made pay to income tax and, in [...]
Financial advisor: Plan for a ‘devastating’ inheritance tax raid September 26, 2024 British families and expats with assets in the UK should act now to mitigate the potential impact of an inheritance tax raid in next month’s Budget, the boss of one of the world’s largest financial advisory firms has warned. Nigel Green, who founded Devere Group in 2002, said the upcoming fiscal announcement was likely to [...]