Labour’s pro-business boasts ring hollow October 28, 2024 Rachel Reeves once vowed that if Labour won they “would be the most pro-business government this country has ever seen”. With just two days to go until the Budget, that pre-election pledge appears to be in the gutter. Reassuring the business community was an essential part of Labour’s pitch for power, but almost everything they’ve [...]
Hundreds attend protest alongside Justice for Chris Kaba campaign October 26, 2024 Hundreds of people have gathered for a march in central London to protest over deaths in custody alongside the Justice for Chris Kaba campaign. Activists gathered on the corner of Trafalgar Square and marched with the United Families and Friends Campaign to Downing Street. The campaign group supports the families of “loved ones lost at [...]
Chancellor to cut back Right to Buy discounts in Budget October 26, 2024 The Chancellor will cut back Right to Buy discounts as part of next week’s Budget to boost council housing supply. Rachel Reeves will announce plans to consult on a new five-year social housing rent settlement and to reduce Right to Buy, which allows tenants renting local authority-owned homes to buy them at a discounted rate, [...]
Starmer denies misleading the public over tax rises in Labour manifesto October 26, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has denied misleading the public at the general election over tax plans after he suggested people who make money from shares and property could face greater levies. The Prime Minister rejected claims he was waging a “war on middle Britain” amid pre-Budget speculation he could increase the burden for those who have [...]
Government: Israel’s escalation in the Middle East ‘in no one’s interest’ October 26, 2024 The government said it is monitoring the unfolding situation in the Middle East “closely” after Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting military sites in Iran. The attacks did not target nuclear or oil facilities, two Israeli officials confirmed to the Associated Press. A government spokesman said on Saturday morning: “We are monitoring this situation [...]
Budget 2024: Warning pubs and breweries could face extra £310m bill October 25, 2024 Pubs and breweries could face an extra £310m bill after the Budget, an industry lobby group has warned. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has warned Chancellor Rachel Reeves that a hike in business rates and beer duty could leave Britain’s drinking spots struggling. Additional costs could stifle growth and threaten jobs, with some [...]
‘Wasteful’ disposable vapes to be banned by next June October 24, 2024 Disposable vape sales will be banned by next summer, the government has said, branding the e-cigarette products “wasteful”. Fresh legislation to ban the sale of single-use vaping devices from June 2025 was introduced before Parliament on Wednesday. The government says an estimated five million single-use vapes were littered or thrown away each week last year [...]
New data bill to loosen red tape for businesses and NHS October 24, 2024 The UK government has introduced a new data bill to parliament to cut red tape for businesses and public service organisations like the NHS, which it claims could add £10bn to the economy over the next decade. The ‘Data Use and Access’ bill plans to make data sharing easier, reducing admin headaches for companies. For [...]
Businesses paying living wage ‘do better’, Sadiq Khan says October 23, 2024 Businesses paying their staff the living wage “do better”, Sadiq Khan has argued, as he welcomed a rise in the London living wage. The Mayor of London spoke to Morning Wire at an event marking the five per cent increase for 140,000 workers, who will see their pay increase to £13.85 an hour. Speaking in [...]
Column: Water, water everywhere… October 23, 2024 Or why the latest twist in the sewage tale suggests a rebalancing of Labour’s priorities England’s water system made a splash again this week, hitting the headlines as the government announced their latest move to – as they put it – clean up the industry. An independent review, led by none other than the former [...]