CBI downgrades forecast for UK economy after Budget December 6, 2024 The UK economy is set for slower than expected and “unimpressive” growth in 2025 thanks partly to punitive measures introduced in October’s Budget, a leading business group has predicted. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) now expects Britain’s economy to grow by just 1.5 per cent next year, it said in its latest economic forecast, [...]
Starmer pledges to deliver ‘higher living standards’ in milestones speech December 5, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to deliver “higher living standards” across the UK by the end of this parliament – but did not put a figure on his target. The Prime Minister aimed to flesh out his pre-election promise to kickstart economic growth, as he set out a set of new “milestones” in a major [...]
ISA changes to be government priority in 2025 says AJ Bell boss December 5, 2024 AJ Bell’s boss has said that ISA simplification is expected to be a priority for the government next year. “My understanding is that in 2025 we’ll see some progress on ISA simplification, and we’ll look to engage with government as part of that,” said AJ Bell CEO Michael Summersgill. There had been anticipation of a shakeup in [...]
More big tax rises are ‘inevitable’, ING says December 5, 2024 Rachel Reeves will have to do another “big top-up” of tax rises this parliament, analysts at a major bank have said, despite the Chancellor previously vowing not to. In its outlook for 2025, published today, Dutch lender ING said that Reeves’ controversial October Budget “is likely just the beginning” of several more Budgets characterised by [...]
Businesses will ‘lick their wounds’ after Budget, even if growth picks up December 5, 2024 The BCC said the upgrades were driven by "increased levels of government spending" following the Budget.
UK economy to ‘grow twice as fast’ as Europe in 2025 December 5, 2024 The UK economy is set to grow twice as fast as its European counterparts next year thanks to the flurry of spending measures announced in October’s Budget, a top bank has forecast. Britain’s gross domestic product (GDP) will increase by 1.4 per cent next year, analysts at ING said in the bank’s annual economic outlook, [...]
Hedge fund managers could buy land, MPs told, as Tories fail to scrap ‘farm tax’ December 4, 2024 Hedge fund managers could buy up farmland if UK farmers sell up to avoid the inheritance levy, MPs were told, as the Tories brought a vote on the so-called ‘family farms tax’. Conservative MPs used an opposition day debate on Wednesday to bring a Commons vote on Labour’s Budget measure which would see farmers pay [...]
PMQs: Reeves ‘coming back for more’ in next Budget, Badenoch warns December 4, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves will be “coming back for more” borrowing and further tax rises in her next Budget, according to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. During a feisty PMQs the Conservative leader railed against the Prime Minister who she said “failed to repeat the Chancellor’s pledge of no more borrowing and no more taxes”. After referencing [...]
Public spending to ‘boost growth’ next year, but inflation also set to spike December 4, 2024 In its latest economic outlook, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) projected that growth would pick up to 1.7 per cent in 2025.
Starmer needs a rethink, not a relaunch December 4, 2024 It doesn’t take a huge stretch of the imagination to picture a communist bureaucrat issuing a decree: “Comrades, I can announce today that four years from now 92 per cent of routine operations will be carried out within our new national target of just four and a half months – realising a goal that has [...]