The TUC has called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to consider new wealth taxes on banks, financial institutions and high earners in November’s budget, warning Labour risks disillusioning voters if it fails to deliver change.
Category: News
The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
Lush closes all UK stores and website in one-day protest over Gaza crisis
Cosmetics retailer Lush has shut its UK shops, website and factories for a day in solidarity with Gaza, displaying “Stop starving Gaza” in store windows and pledging proceeds from a relaunched soap to medical services.
Angela Rayner admits tax mistake on £800k Hove home but refuses to resign
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has admitted she underpaid tax on her £800,000 Hove property, saying she relied on incorrect legal advice. She has referred herself to HMRC and the ministerial standards adviser.
UK long-term borrowing costs hit 27-year high as global bond markets wobble
The yield on 30-year UK gilts has climbed to 5.75%, the highest since 1998, amid a global sell-off in long-dated government debt. Rising borrowing costs heap pressure on Rachel Reeves ahead of the 26 November budget.
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May wind down £24m joint company as TV partnership ends
After 23 years together on Top Gear and The Grand Tour, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have wound down their joint company W. Chump & Sons, closing the door on their TV partnership.
Scotch Whisky Association urges multi-year freeze on spirits duty ahead of autumn budget
The Scotch Whisky Association has called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to announce a multi-year freeze on spirits duty in the 26 November budget, warning rising taxes are harming pubs, restaurants and Scotland’s economy.
Jaguar Land Rover hit by major cyber attack as production halts at UK plant
Jaguar Land Rover has suffered a crippling cyber incident that forced it to shut down systems, halt production at its Halewood plant, and suspend new car registrations. The company says no customer data has been stolen.
Rachel Reeves confirms autumn budget date for 26 November amid tax rise speculation
The Treasury has set 26 November for Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget, with the chancellor under pressure to plug a £40bn deficit while honouring Labour’s pledge not to raise income tax, NI or VAT.
Sting to face fresh legal battle with The Police over ‘Every Breath You Take’
Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland have launched legal action against Sting, claiming credit for The Police’s 1983 global hit ‘Every Breath You Take’ more than four decades after its release.
Judge orders Google to share search data with rivals in landmark monopoly ruling
A U.S. judge has ruled that Google must share some of its search results data with competitors to address its monopoly, but stopped short of forcing the tech giant to sell Chrome or end default search deals.
Sadiq Khan calls for London arms fair to be scrapped amid Gaza conflict
London mayor Sadiq Khan has urged organisers to cancel Britain’s biggest arms fair, DSEI 2025, saying it offends asylum seekers and is “inappropriate” during Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
Private sector set to shrink as CBI warns Reeves against fresh tax raid
The CBI has warned that Britain’s private sector faces contraction over the next three months as firms cut back on investment and hiring amid fears Rachel Reeves will raise taxes again in the autumn Budget.
Gold surges past $3,500 an ounce on Fed rate cut bets and US political turmoil
Gold prices hit a record $3,508 an ounce as investors bet on a September Fed rate cut and voiced concern over threats to central bank independence after Trump’s clashes with Jerome Powell and Lisa Cook.
UK borrowing costs rise at fastest pace in G7 as bond yields hit 27-year high
Yields on 30-year UK gilts surged to 5.64% — their highest since 1998 — as investors reacted to Keir Starmer’s reshuffle of his economic team and concerns over Labour’s plans to plug a £50bn fiscal hole.
Torsten Bell’s Treasury influence raises likelihood of wealth tax reforms in autumn Budget
The appointment of Resolution Foundation alumni to senior Treasury roles has fuelled expectations that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will turn to wealth taxes — on property, inheritance and investments — to plug a £20bn fiscal gap.
