Trump tariffs: Fresh delay as UK steel exemption hangs in the balance July 8, 2025 Downing Street would not say whether the Government was confident that a deal to eliminate American tariffs on UK steel would be struck as Donald Trump’s deadline looms. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Monday that US President Donald Trump would be delaying an increase to the baseline 10 per cent tariff rate [...]
A wealth tax would be a disaster – and an admission of total failure July 8, 2025 Why wouldn’t Downing Street rule out a wealth tax? It isn’t difficult, you just say “we will not introduce a wealth tax” and the show moves on. Instead, when asked about the growing clamour in Labour circles for new tax aimed squarely at the well-off, Downing Street’s spokesperson simply talked about the need for “the [...]
Brits pour scorn on Labour after week from hell July 7, 2025 Brits have delivered a withering verdict on Labour after a week in which the anniversary of their election victory was marred by shambolic u-turns and infighting. Following the dramatic events of last week, voters’ disapproval of the government appears to have intensified with a growing number of Brits opposing the government’s high-tax-high-spending policies, according to [...]
Tesla shares slide after Musk plots new political party in latest Trump snub July 7, 2025 Tesla has once again lost its status as a trillion-dollar company after the EV-maker’s stock slid on Monday on the back of CEO Elon Musk’s plans to launch a new US political party. Shares in the Nasdaq-listed business fell as much as 7.5 per cent in the opening minutes of trade in New York, giving [...]
Downing Street flirts with wealth tax despite exodus fears July 7, 2025 The UK’s unprecedented exodus of wealthy people could be set to accelerate after the government opened the door to introducing a wealth tax, following calls for such a move by former Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock and a host of union leaders. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has all but conceded that taxes will have to rise [...]
Scottish Widows owner: Pension funds deal risks making UK like China July 7, 2025 Labour’s flagship deal with pension funds risks making the UK economy more like China, the boss of Lloyds Banking Group has warned after its subsidiary Scottish Widows chose not to sign up to the agreement. Chancellor Rachel Reeves won the support of 17 pension funds which agreed to invest at least five per cent of [...]
Hiring confidence worst in 13 years as businesses brace for further tax hikes July 7, 2025 Appetite for hiring among employers has fallen to lows not seen since 2012, as bosses bring up the drawbridge following bruising hikes to business rates and more tax rises looming at the next Budget. Research from the BDO Business Trends barometer found that firms are “holding back recruitment” despite indications of a summer recovery. Employment [...]
Ministers ‘pushed ahead too fast’ on welfare reform, says Phillipson July 6, 2025 Ministers “pushed ahead too fast” and “didn’t listen enough” on welfare reform, the education secretary has said. Bridget Phillipson also said that future spending decisions had been made “harder”, when asked about the prospect of the two-child benefit cap being scrapped. Phillipson told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme that she was “not going [...]
Reeves warns ministers tax rises are coming after loss of ‘low hanging fruit’ July 5, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has warned ministers that taxes will have to rise after the government U-turned on its welfare bill, despite repeated pledges not to increase the taxes of working people. Reeves told ministers on Tuesday that raising the tens of billions pounds she needs would be a “big challenge” given her lack of options, [...]
Get ready for £30bn tax raid, City analysts warn July 5, 2025 Top City economists have warned welfare U-turns and President Trump’s damage to growth prospects will lead to tax hikes worth £30bn this autumn. Chancellor Rachel Reeves suggested last year’s £40bn tax raid on businesses, homeowners and investors was a “once in a parliament reset” while Keir Starmer has suggested the UK could not “tax [its] [...]
