Policy experts have joined University of Manchester (UoM) academics and guests at Manchester Art Gallery for the launch of a new publication crammed with evidence-based solutions to tackle regional inequalities and boost the levelling up agenda. Power in Place – published by the University’s policy engagement unit, Policy@Manchester – brings together research and recommendations across…
In a perplexing and somewhat startling move, Amazon has conveyed a message to numerous marketplace sellers in both the UK and continental Europe. It entails a significant extension of the waiting time for the release of sale proceeds, potentially plunging small businesses into a precarious situation. This decision has caused an uproar among these sellers,…
In a move that has sent ripples across the business and environmental sector, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made the controversial decision to disband the energy efficient Taskforce. This decision is viewed as a significant shift in the government’s approach towards energy efficiency initiatives, sparking a wave of debate on its potential implications. The…
Top 5 cybersecurity mistakes endangering your startup and how to resolve them Simon Hughes – VP and General Manager for the UK arm of Cowbell, a leading cyber insurance provider for SMEs – runs through the most common cybersecurity mistakes startups make, revealing how to fix them before hackers catch on. One of the most…
Insiders have revealed that the HS2 Phase Two project, the high-speed rail line from Birmingham to Manchester, is expected to be cancelled. The announcement could be made as early as next week, marking a significant shift in the UK’s infrastructure plans. The HS2 project, initially intended to link London, the Midlands, and the North of…
The government borrowed bill less than expected last month as falling inflation and bumper tax revenues helped to improve the state of the public finances. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in August showed that monthly public sector borrowing came in at £11.6 billion, below the £13 billion forecast by the government’s…
The petrol car ban is expected to be delayed under plans to water down key net zero policies being drawn up by Rishi Sunak. On Tuesday night, the Prime Minister insisted he was still committed to the 2050 net zero target but said he would meet it in a “better, more proportionate way”, admitting that…
Young black scientists will get sizeable grants towards cutting-edge research in a pilot scheme aimed at increasing their numbers in the field. Five scientists a year will get up to £690,000 spread over four years. The Royal Society, which represents the UK’s leading researchers, hopes its grants increase low numbers of black scientists, particularly in…
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) risks financial oblivion unless it can convince its remaining members to stump up £3m within the next few days, according to reports. The scandal-hit business lobby group is in a race against time to stave off collapse, even as rival organisations jockey for position to replace it as the…
TikTok has been fined 345 million euro (£296 million) by Ireland’s data watchdog following an investigation into how the social media platform processed children’s data. The fine was imposed on TikTok Technology Limited (TTL) by the Data Protection Commission (DPC) after the probe into how certain privacy settings and features complied with obligations under the EU’s General Data…
Contractors and their clients alike have welcomed the news that HMRC is on the verge of scrapping the controversial ‘double taxation’ of IR35 under the off-payroll working rules – in a positive development for contractors who have had their contracts cancelled as a result of these rules. The legislative flaw sees businesses overtaxed in the…
There was varied economic news this week, as the Government’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) released July’s economic figures. The UK’s economy shrank by 0.5% and imports also fell 0.4%. However, the international delivery expert ParcelHero says one bright light among the gloomy data is that the UK’s goods exports to the European Union (EU)…
The state pension is likely to rise by 8.5% in April after data crucial to the so-called triple lock was published. The policy means the increase in the state pension is the highest of average earnings, inflation or 2.5%. Those earnings – which are total pay, including bonuses – were recorded at 8.5%, and the…
Luxury retailers are choosing China over London as the “tourist tax” stifles a post-pandemic shopping resurgence, the head of a payments processing company has warned. Alan Holcroft, of Cegid, which works with about a thousand retailers, including Hugo Boss, L’Oréal and Lacoste, said the scrapping of tax-free shopping for tourists had been an “own goal”…
The long-term future of Mini production in Britain has been secured, with BMW set to announce an investment of hundreds of millions of pounds in its factory at Cowley in Oxford. The announcement, expected this morning, is likely to give the green light to the assembly of zero-emission battery electric Minis into the next decade….
