Government news and archive

What to expect under the UK’s Employment Rights Bill

A new bill put forth by the UK’s Labour Government is hoping to shake things up in what the administration said will be “the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation”, replacing so-called “out-of-date” employment laws. The Employment Rights Bill is currently in the committee stage in the House of Commons, and is still being debated and...

BusinessFeatured

‘Tale of two halves’: Industry reacts to ‘damaging’ Autumn Budget

The Autumn Budget, the first to have been issued by Labour in 13 years, has received mixed reactions from industry insiders and experts alike, with a 40 billion pound uptick in taxes being at the centre of discussion. On Wednesday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled the budget via a lengthy speech in which she noted that she did “not take this...

Business

Fashion industry calls on UK government to implement variable EPR fees

A new white paper by QSA Partners has outlined a call on the UK government to implement variable Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees to help drive sustainability and establish a circular economy in the UK fashion and textiles sector. The report, which was backed by UKFT, BFC, the BRC and several fashion brands, looked to emphasise the...

BusinessFeatured

Sainsbury’s urges government to cut business rates to boost jobs

Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has teamed up with the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), which represents 148,000 of its staff, to urge the new government to deliver on its promise to reform business rates. In a statement, Simon Roberts, the boss of Sainsbury’s said the business rates system was "no longer fit for purpose"...

BusinessFeatured

Prime minister announces launch of overhauled apprenticeship levy

During his attendance at the Farnborough Airshow, Keir Starmer, the newly appointed Labour prime minister, announced the launch of an overhauled apprenticeship levy, a widely anticipated initiative he had initially introduced the idea of during his election campaign. Now under the title ‘Skills England’, the programme is one of the cornerstones...

Business

Number of company insolvencies jumps in June

The number of registered company insolvencies jumped up in June by 16 percent compared to May 2024, remaining much higher than figures reported during the pandemic. In England and Wales, a total of 2,361 insolvencies had been registered, according to the UK Gov website, up 17 percent on the same month in the previous year, when 2,016...

BusinessFeatured

Tackling crime, employee exploitation and apprenticeships: Key takeaways from the King’s Speech

“Now is time to take the brakes off Britain,” the region’s newest prime minister and Labour party leader Keir Starmer said in a release ahead of the King’s Speech. “For too long people have been held back, their paths determined by where they came from - not their talents and hard work.” His comments were later followed by words from King...

BusinessFeatured

In the UK, a new Labour government is incoming: What this means for retail

In what has been a largely anticipated turnout, Labour has swung the election with a landslide majority, making Keir Starmer the UK’s next prime minister (made official once King Charles III formally requests him in during a ceremony later today). It marks the first change in government in 14 years, throughout which the Conservatives served at...

BusinessFeatured

Revivals and reinstatements: What UK retail is demanding from the incoming government

The UK’s general election is moving swiftly upon us. With a shorter time frame than initially expected, national retail organisations are clamouring to get their requests publicly pushed out to ensure their calls for change are heard. Here are just some of what the many UK-based organisations – British Independent Retailers Association (Bira),...

BusinessFeatured

New West End Company unveils manifesto “for growth” ahead of general election

The New West End Company (NWEC), which represents more than 600 UK and international firms in London's West End, has unveiled a new manifesto laying out policy priorities and recommendations for the future government ahead of the upcoming general election in the UK. The manifesto has been built on insights from its hundreds of members to outline...

Business

Date of UK general election confirmed

Prime minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed that the next UK general election is to take place July 4. The announcement came after it was reported that the region’s annual inflation had fallen to its lowest level in three years. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), prices rose by 2.3 percent in the 12 months to April 2024, down...

BusinessFeatured

UK’s Spring Budget: What to know and how the industry is responding

Jeremy Hunt outlined his Spring Budget earlier this week and, like his prior Autumn Statement, was met with mixed reactions from the retail industry as a whole. His speech to MPs began by outlining the government’s achievement of lowering inflation from 11 percent, when prime minister Rishi Sunak came into office, to 4 percent, which Hunt said “...