Cigarette prices will not rise as Rishi Sunak left tobacco duty out of his 2021 spring Budget. Experts had predicted an increase of two per cent plus inflation to be announced, but that appears to have been scrapped. Mr Sunak increased tobacco duty in his 2020 Budget and in his November Spending Review, and decided … Read more
Rishi Sunak faced fury from charities, MPs and care groups today after failing to provide any extra help for hospitals, care homes or medical research. Care home bosses accused the Chancellor of ‘betraying’ elderly residents, claiming he had once again ignored the cash-strapped sector which has been ravaged by Covid. Boris Johnson originally promised to … Read more
Budget 2021 at a glance Here are the main points of Rishi Sunak’s Budget today: Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicts economy will return to pre-Covid levels by the middle of 2022, six months earlier than previously though. OBR forecast economy will grow this year by 4 per cent, by 7.3 per cent in 2022, … Read more
Cheers to that! Rishi Sunak freezes booze tax for a second year in a row in a boost for Covid-weary Brits and also keeps fuel duty frozen for the tenth successive year Increases in duty on beer, cider, wine and spirits axed for second year in a row Tax on a tankful of fuel will … Read more
Sir Keir Starmer accused Rishi Sunak of using today’s Budget to ‘paper over the cracks’ that have opened up in the UK economy during the Covid pandemic – as he took aim at the Chancellor’s love of social media. The Labour leader goaded Mr Sunak after he presented his plan to restore the nation’s finances, … Read more
Rishi’s £150million pub lifeline: Chancellor unveils scheme to help locals to BUY their struggling boozer and other ‘community assets’ like sports clubs The £150m Community Ownership Fund would provide grants up to £250,000 Will also allow bids for up to £1million in ‘exceptional circumstances’ This would allow larger venues like sports grounds and clubs to … Read more
Fears of lockdown THREE as Rishi extends furlough AGAIN: Workers will carry on getting 80% of wages until end of September – with businesses expected to contribute from July – and self-employed grants will continue Chancellor Rishi Sunak today confirmed that furlough will continue to October Scheme will not change for employees but employers will … Read more
Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle slams Rishi Sunak’s Budget PR drive complaining about pre-briefing and saying Chancellor shouldn’t be ‘dashing off’ for press conference Chancellor Rishi Sunak will deliver his eagerly-awaited Budget at 12.30 today Much of the detail of the Budget has been released ahead of time by Treasury Lindsay Hoyle said ‘tradition matters’ and … Read more
Rishi’s £150million pub lifeline: Chancellor unveils scheme to help locals to BUY their struggling boozer and other ‘community assets’ like sports clubs The £150m Community Ownership Fund would provide grants up to £250,000 Will also allow bids for up to £1million in ‘exceptional circumstances’ This would allow larger venues like sports grounds and clubs to … Read more
Rishi Sunak warned the UK cannot ignore its ‘wartime’ levels of borrowing today as he splashed the Covid cash again today to help the recovery. In a crucial Budget that will set the country’s course for years, the Chancellor said the government’s watchdog now expected the economy to get back to its pre-pandemic level by … Read more