Labour must address long-term sickness to get the economy growing September 10, 2024 Solving the problem of the UK's long-term sickness crisis could radically boost GDP and tax revenues. It should be a top priority for Labour, Chris Dorrell writes
Industrial strategy must boost e-commerce exports to help small firms, report urges September 9, 2024 The government’s industrial strategy must prioritise e-commerce in order to boost small business exports and promote economic growth, a report has urged. Improving trade technology adoption, boosting support for targeting emerging markets, and developing initiatives to support female-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs) would make a significant contribution to the number of small firms exporting, [...]
Ditch ‘phony’ fiscal rules and tax ‘unearned wealth’, unions urge Starmer September 9, 2024 Union chiefs launched a broadside at Sir Keir Starmer, describing the Prime Minister’s planned national wealth fund as “a joke,” urging him to tax “unearned wealth” and demanding he “ditch the phony fiscal rules”. Speaking at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference on Monday – ahead of Sir Keir’s own address on Tuesday – union [...]
No Labour MP wants to cut winter fuel payments, but our commitment to pensioners is steadfast September 9, 2024 Tomorrow’s vote on winter fuel payments will be tough, but making and explaining hard choices is what Labour was elected to do, says Dan Tomlinson Tomorrow I will be voting for something which no Labour MP came into politics to vote for: means testing the winter fuel payment. That I and hundreds of my colleagues [...]
UK and US spy chiefs ‘working ceaselessly’ for Gaza ceasefire September 7, 2024 British and American spy chiefs have said they are together “working ceaselessly” for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, in a rare public statement. MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore and CIA director Bill Burns said the agencies have “exploited our intelligence channels to push hard for restraint and de-escalation” in the Middle East. In [...]
Keir Starmer visits Ireland in bid to reset UK’s relationship with Dublin September 7, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer is to visit Ireland as he seeks to reset the UK’s relationship with its nearest neighbour. The Prime Minister will travel to Dublin on Saturday to meet with the Taoiseach, Simon Harris, in his first official visit to Ireland. Commerce across the Irish Sea, a trade relationship worth 100 billion euros a [...]
Majority of business managers back improved workers’ rights, survey shows September 7, 2024 Most employers support government plans to strengthen workers’ rights, new research has suggested. A survey of 1,000 managers indicated more than two in three believed the rights of workers should be improved. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and Persuasion UK said their study suggested that among [...]
Renters rights bill must protect ‘workable’ grounds for possession, landlords warn September 6, 2024 Plans to reform renters rights must protect “clear, comprehensive and workable” grounds for possession, a landlords body has warned. The government could reportedly bring forward its new Renters Rights Bill, which was announced in the King’s Speech, as soon as next week, according to Sky News. And renters rights campaigners have urged ministers to fulfil [...]
University chief says £12,500 fees needed to support higher eduction sector September 6, 2024 A London vice-chancellor has suggested universities could need tuition fees of £12,500 to address the sector’s financial woes. Professor Shitij Kapur, the vice-chancellor and president of King’s College London (KCL), has said the “number to ask for” was between £12,000 and £13,000 – but warned institutions risked looking “out of touch” if they requested the [...]
Government must fix ‘antiquated’ business rates, firms and CBI urge September 6, 2024 The government must fix the “antiquated” business rates system which is dampening productivity and growth, firms and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has urged. A cross-sector panel including retail and manufacturing firms met to develop proposals to improve the current system in a bid to boost investment and supercharge the economy. CBI chief executive [...]
