Showing posts with label Rachel Reeves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rachel Reeves. Show all posts

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Michael Lambert: How Farage and Brexit Wrecked the British Economy

Jan 25, 2025 | Nigel Farage is a conman. He is only interested in his own fame and making money. For twenty years he was a member of the European parliament during which time he complained and argued incessantly for the UK to leave the EU ich resulted in the disastrous Brexit which has caused so much harm to the UK economy and reputation.

Nigel Farage is now an MP and yet he earns more than £1 million per year from outside activities and claims that he received more than £2 million in expenses over a ten-year period whilst he was an MEP.

He recently told reporters in America that he could be the next UK prime minister.

Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer attended the World Economic Forum in Davos this week accompanied by Johnathan Reynolds the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade where they were both interviewed by Bloomberg . The interview was a disaster in which Reynolds demonstrated his lack of understanding of his job or how to create any growth in the UK economy.

It is difficult to see how Keir Starmer and Reeves can survive given the constant flow of bad economic news. One person who might be able to save the situation is the First Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones.


Tuesday, January 07, 2025

Reeves Exposes Her Own Hypocrisy over ‘Freezing Cold Pensioners’

THE TELEGRAPH: Pensioners are skipping meals to keep the heating on, but there’s no sign of the empathy once voiced by the Chancellor

“I do not want to live in a country where so many people are priced out of heating their homes in the winter, or having to choose between sitting in a freezing cold flat and putting food on their table.” These are the words of Rachel Reeves when she sat on the opposition benches in 2018.

Fast-forward seven years, and her decision to axe the winter fuel payment for 10 million pensioners has left scores of retirees shivering at the start of 2025.

Charities have warned that Labour’s “chilling” policy has resulted in pensioners being admitted to hospital with pneumonia, and there were fears that the weekend’s cold snap would pose a danger to life as temperatures were tipped to plummet to as low as -10C.

Simon Francis, of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said the Chancellor had forgotten about the concerns of adults living in “Dickensian conditions”. » | Joe Wright | Senior Money Writer | Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Saturday, November 02, 2024

Michael Lambert: Going for Growth but No Mention of Small Business

Nov 2, 2024 | After almost four months, the results of the Conservative Party leadership elections are about to be announced. Either Robert Jenrick or Kemi Badenoch will be the new leader. Jenrick has spent much of the campaign warning that foreign terrorists and murderers are walking our streets; Badenoch has been largely unseen.

Rachel Reeves presented her first budget which included raising £40 billion, much of it by increasing employers' National Insurance contributions. There was notably no mention of help for small businesses in the budget despite much talk of 'Going for Growth' which seems to depend upon foreign firms investing in the UK.


Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Price of Packet of Cigarettes to Rise to £16.78 from 6pm TONIGHT as Rachel Reeves Hikes Tobacco Tax in Budget

THE SUN: THE price of a pack of cigarettes will have risen by 90p after a hike was confirmed in the government's Autumn Statement.

On Wednesday in the House of Common, Chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed a range of plans relating to tax rises, benefits and pension payments.

The Chancellor said that tobacco duty would increase by the standard Retail Price Index (RPI) - a measure of inflation - plus 2%.

The government used the RPI rate of 3.65%, which is the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast for the inflation rate in quarter two of 2025.

It means the cost of a 20 pack will rise by 5.65% - or 90p - at 6pm this evening.

The average price of a 20-pack of cigarettes in September was £15.88, according to the ONS - and it will rise to £16.78 tonight. » | Olivier Marshall, Senior Consumer Reporter | Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Institute of Economic Affairs: Tax Expert Warns: The Budget's Hidden Attack on Your Wages

Oct 30, 2024 | In an analysis of the government's latest budget, Tom Clougherty, Executive Director and Tax Policy Specialist, breaks down the concerning implications of a massive £40 billion tax increase, with £25 billion coming from employer National Insurance contributions alone. With taxes already at historic highs, Clougherty explains how these changes will likely suppress wages and reduce job opportunities across the private sector.

Despite the change in government, Clougherty identifies a troubling continuity in economic policy, with an increasingly state-centric approach to growth. He critiques the administration's heavy reliance on public spending and capital projects, arguing this comes at the expense of private sector innovation and investment – the true engines of sustainable economic growth.

Drawing from years of economic evidence, Clougherty challenges the government's claim that workers won't be affected by these tax increases. He demonstrates how employer National Insurance hikes inevitably get passed through to employees in the form of lower wages and reduced benefits, adding to existing cost of living pressures. This comprehensive analysis offers vital insights for businesses and workers alike as they navigate the implications of the new budget.