Finance

Yellen stressed importance of withdrawing digital services taxes in call with UK

Editorial Bureau September 23, 2021

WASHINGTON – U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen spoke with British finance minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday about ongoing global tax reform efforts, and underscored the need for a compromise on withdrawal of digital services taxes, the Treasury said. Yellen also thanked Sunak for his

UK

UK working to tackle driver shortages as industry warnings mount

Editorial Bureau September 23, 2021

LONDON – Britain is working on a number of options to tackle the shortage of truck drivers, including luring former employees back to the market, amid warnings from the food industry that supply chains could break down in the run up to Christmas. Paul Scully, a junior business minister, said offering visas to overseas drivers […]

Business

UK pub operator Mitchells sales top pre-pandemic level on pent-up demand

Editorial Bureau September 23, 2021

Britain’s Mitchells & Butlers Plc said on Thursday sales over the past two months have been above pre-pandemic levels, as customers thronged to its hundreds of pubs and restaurants after months-long restrictions. The more than a century old pub operator’s sales in the most recent eight weeks were 104% of pre-COVID-19 levels, supported by pent-up […]

UK

Bank of England expected to keep rates steady as inflation risks mount

Editorial Bureau September 23, 2021

LONDON – Britain’s central bank looks set to keep interest rates steady later on Thursday as it approaches the end-point of its 895 billion pound ($1.22 trillion) asset purchase programme and casts a wary eye over surging inflation pressures. Investors will be keen to see if more Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members join external member […]

UK

UK lawmakers urge Bank of England to penalise fossil fuel financing

Editorial Bureau September 16, 2021

LONDON – UK lawmakers on Thursday called on the Bank of England to help tackle climate change by boosting investment in green finance and penalising banks that finance the fossil fuel industry. The intervention by a cross-party group of 51 lawmakers comes ahead of the COP26 global climate talks to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, […]

UK

COVID vaccine to all 12- to 15-year-olds

Editorial Bureau September 15, 2021

LONDON – All 12- to 15-year-olds in England will be offered a COVID-19 vaccine after top medical advisers said on Monday that children would benefit from reduced disruption to their education. The British government confirmed that the offer would be extended to all children aged 12-15 after a unanimous recommendation by the Chief Medical Officers […]

UK

COVID boosters for over 50s to cope with “bumpy” winter

Editorial Bureau September 15, 2021

LONDON -Britain will begin a COVID-19 vaccine booster programme for older and more vulnerable people soon as Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government relies on vaccines rather than further lockdowns to navigate a “bumpy” winter. Officials said COVID-19 vaccines had saved more than 112,000 lives and averted 24 million infections as they proposed a third

UK

Privatisation will secure UK Channel 4’s future, minister to say

Editorial Bureau September 15, 2021

LONDON – Channel 4, Britain’s publicly owned but commercially funded broadcaster, will be able to access more money to compete with streaming giants Amazon and Netflix under private ownership, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden will say on Wednesday. Britain’s government said in June it was planning to sell the broadcaster, launched nearly 39 years ago as

UK

UK government outlines COVID plan for winter months

Editorial Bureau September 14, 2021

LONDON – Britain on Tuesday outlined how its plans to tackle COVID-19 during the colder months when it expects other respiratory diseases like flu to put extra pressure on the health service. Health minister Sajid Javid said there were five points to the plan, plus a “Plan B” which would be implemented if the numbers […]

UK

UK employers, stung by new levies, call for overhaul of tax system

Editorial Bureau September 13, 2021

LONDON (UK) – British businesses demanded that finance minister Rishi Sunak stop raising their taxes and instead offer more help to meet the challenges of Brexit, COVID-19 and climate change when he makes major budget statements next month. (Content and photos syndicate via Reuters)