Everything government, Parliament, the statistical agencies and the major policy institutes published — read, summarised and ranked so you can skim the day in a minute.
5,510 articles · 37 live sources · updated 1h ago
IPPR proposes a 2% online sales tax plus a 1% charge on click-and-collect purchases to raise at least £1.5bn, using revenue to cut business rates for leisure, hospitality and retail on local high streets.
Says Andy Burnham has made a strong start as prime minister but faces tests including welfare reform, a winter NHS crisis, an energy price spike and migration reform; sets out how the autumn budget can balance cost‑of‑living relief, growth and stability.
IPPR argues for an online sales tax to level the playing field between high streets and e‑commerce, claiming current business taxes overburden physical retail and that high streets provide wider social and economic infrastructure.
Announces an IPPR/Arup event on fiscal devolution, discussing proposals to give mayors greater tax, spending and borrowing powers to drive regional growth, with speakers including Greater Manchester Mayor Bev Craig and local government leaders.
IPPR welcomes Chancellor John Healey’s economic ambition to shape jobs and industries but warns that delivering it requires challenging vested interests, devolving powers from Whitehall and making tough choices on tax, investment and public ownership.
IPPR’s paper models a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) allowing EU acceptance of UK testing bodies and finds it could boost UK exports by £3.7–£6.5 billion annually (around 0.1–0.18% of GDP), concentrated in automobiles, pharmaceuticals and electronics.
IPPR estimates that absent a post‑Brexit mutual recognition deal on product testing, UK goods exports to the EU were £3.7–£6.5 billion lower per year between 2021–24, hitting autos, electronics and pharmaceuticals most and urging a priority MRA approach.
IPPR welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s hopeful conference tone but urged honesty about necessary changes, saying hope must be backed by government action on long-term problems such as social care, youth unemployment, broken public services and stagnant living standards.
IPPR warns the Bank of England’s gilt-market operations still “cost taxpayers billions each year”, noting it stopped long-dated gilt sales but continues active sales. It urges government to explore fixes to match international practice and free up fiscal space; also notes rate‑rise pressure later this year.