7 h. ago Trust level in Scottish Government revealed as NHS satisfaction plummets to record low

Public satisfaction with the NHS in Scotland has also fallen to an all-time low

Politics

7 h. ago High tax fears ahead of Budget sends business confidence to lowest level in three years

HIGH tax fears ahead of next month’s Budget have sent business confidence to its lowest level in three years, a survey shows.  Company bosses fear a Groundhog Day experience as concerns grow they will bear the brunt of another slew of punishing taxes.  Optimism levels appear to be in freefall as tax concerns hit profits growth, recruitment and investment plans.  Businesses have now...

Economics

45 h. ago House prices FELL in September as Budget tax hike fears put property market on hold

Property prices are up only 0.3% since the start of 2025 and just 1.3% higher than they were in September last year.

Economics

6 d. ago Hopes of growth among London small businesses falls to lowest level since the pandemic

Fears of what the Budget might bring in November appears to be depressing confidence says survey

Events

7 d. ago London property prices flatline amid fears over Budget tax raid on home sales

Market has been side-swiped by speculation about a possible sales tax on properties worth more than £500k

Economics

9 d. ago Rachel Reeves stokes tax fears by warning of 'tough choices' in Budget and takes a swipe at Andy Burnham in Labour conference speech

Chancellor Rachel Reeves insisted she was going to keep taxes 'as low as possible' as Brits brace for more pain in her fiscal package on November 26.

Events

9 d. ago Rachel Reeves gives income tax threshold £12,570 update amid budget freeze fears

Massive campaigns have hit out at the freeze since 2021 which as seen millions of lowest paid hit by 'fiscal drag'

Economics

1 week ago Anas Sarwar attacks 'doom loop' UK watchdog over fears of £30bn of Budget tax rises

EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Labour leader rounded on the Office of Budget Responsibility over its economic forecasts party figures believe are damaging the UK Government.

Economics

1 week ago West End firms fear budget tax rises will put them out of business

West End firms fear budget tax rises will put them out of business  The Times

Economics

1 week ago Budget tax hike fears holding back BILLIONS in investment by small businesses says Barclays

Labour must rule out higher taxes on small firms at the November Budget or risk further damage after a sharp fall in confidence in the British economy, Barclays said on Thursday.

Economics

2 w. ago Alcohol deaths in Ayrshire remain at lowest level for six years

In 2024, the same number of alcohol-specific deaths was recorded as there was in 2023.

Events

2 w. ago Alcohol deaths fall to lowest level since 2019 but remain ‘appallingly high’

The data from National Records of Scotland show there were 1,185 alcohol specific deaths in 2024 – which was down 7% from the previous year, meaning there were 92 fewer deaths

Events

2 w. ago Brits brace for cost of living crisis 2.0: Fears 5% inflation and tax hikes in autumn Budget will send food bills skyrocketing this winter

Millions of families face further rises in food prices if Chancellor Rachel Reeves presses ahead with plans to hit big shops with higher business rates, industry experts warned today.

Economics

2 w. ago Blow for Reeves as business output slows sharply in September

Economists warn of “litany of worrying news” as PMI survey reading falls to lowest level for five months

Politics

2 w. ago Pep Guardiola is leading a strangely defensive new approach to the Premier League

The possession that once defined the Spanish manager’s sides has evaporated, and it’s hard to see exactly whySign up for Soccer with Jonathan Wilson hereWe really are now through the looking glass with Pep Guardiola. Eyebrows had been raised by the way Manchester City approached the second half of their commanding derby win last week, sitting off, allowing United the ball and picking them off on the break. But their performance in drawing at Arsenal on Sunday was on a different level entirely: just 34% possession, the lowest any Guardiola side has ever registered in a game. By the end they had four central defenders, two holding midfielders and a full-back on the pitch.But even that doesn’t get to the heart of how strange this was. In the previous five seasons there have only been 10 occasions when City did not have more possession than their opponents in a Premier League game. Only once before in the Premier League has City’s possession under Guardiola dipped below 40% – when they ...

Politics

3 w. ago UK's productivity forecast to be downgraded sparking tax rise fears in Chancellor's upcoming Budget

Treasury officials are anticipating that the blackhole in the UK’s finances could amount to £30billion

Economics

3 w. ago Tax fears grow as Rachel Reeves faces new £9billion black hole ahead of Budget

Allan Monks, UK economist at JPMorgan, told the Financial Times that even shaving 0.1 or 0.2 per cent from productivity would leave a hole of between £9billion and £18billion.

Economics

3 w. ago Savers pulled £70bn from pension pots last year, as fears mount of further Budget tax raid

The figures from the Financial Conduct Authority, the City regulator, marked a 36% increase on the previous year.

Economics

3 w. ago Fears of spike in food bills as firms warn Labour against another Budget tax raid... with ministers preparing to push through workers' rights law

An industry body said food and drink inflation could reach 5.7 per cent by the end of the year, pointing to the effects of the national insurance raid and new packaging taxes.

Economics

3 w. ago France’s credit rating downgraded, with debt forecast to keep rising amid political turmoil

Fitch downgrade to lowest level on record complicates new prime minister Sebastien Lecornu and President Emmanuel Macron’s efforts to control France’s financesThe Fitch agency downgraded France’s credit rating on Friday, as President Emmanuel Macron struggles with political instability and disagreements on how to put the country’s strained public finances in order.The US rating agency, one of the top global institutions gauging the financial solidity of sovereign borrowers, downgraded France on its ability to pay back debts, from “AA-” to “A+”, the country’s lowest level on record at a major credit rating agency. Continue reading...

Politics