How do we solve Britain’s energy bill crisis?
Karl Williams, senior researcher at the Centre for Policy Studies, believes future government support for households struggling with rising energy bills should focus on supporting those most in need, not nationalising energy firms. Responding to comments from former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who suggested a “watertight windfall tax” on energy companies and the potential for… View Article
Sunak vows to protect ‘precious’ green belt and build more houses on brownfield
As candidates for the Conservative leadership set out their plans on housing Alex Morton, Head of Policy at the Centre for Policy Studies, is quoted in the Daily Express on the need to build more homes. This week Rishi Sunak pledged to protect “precious” greenbelt and recently Liz Truss came out in favour of scrapping… View Article
The next Prime Minister must ditch the dreadful Online Safety Bill
Implementing the Online Safety Bill as currently drafted would have “serious consequences”, says Matthew Feeney, Head of Tech and Innovation for the Centre for Policy Studies. Writing for CapX, Feeney argues that while the Bill is intended to limit the spread of ‘harmful’ content, the draft legislation puts at risk end-to-end encryption, the right to… View Article
Liz Truss pledges to set up low-regulation ‘investment zones’
Liz Truss plans to introduce “low-regulation investment zones” – calling them a “full-fat” version of leadership opponent Rishi Sunak’s freeports – if she becomes Prime Minister, reports the Daily Mail. The paper notes that Sunak first proposed the idea of freeports in the UK in a paper he wrote for the Centre for Policy Studies… View Article
Low earners benefited from Sunak reforms, says CPS Head of Tax
Following Rishi Sunak’s resignation as Chancellor, the Daily Telegraph reports on his legacy as the tax burden reaches its highest level since 1949. The article features comments from Tom Clougherty, CPS Head of Tax, who said the former Chancellor would be remembered for his pandemic support for families. Changes to Universal Credit and National Insurance… View Article
Nicola Sturgeon impending disaster as UK-breakaway could spark Scottish inflation spike
James Heywood, Head of Welfare and Opportunity at the Centre for Policy Studies, spoke to the Express about the economic impact of Scottish independence. Following any vote for independence, he argued, “there will be an immediate period of uncertainty for businesses because while they won’t necessarily become independent or have new trade barriers, they won’t… View Article
Stealth tax raid forces two million people into higher bands
The Centre for Policy Studies Director Robert Colvile is quoted by the Daily Telegraph in their coverage of the Chancellor’s decision to freeze income tax thresholds. He said the record high tax burden would cost millions of households during a time of “hideous” cost of living pressures. He said: “Rishi Sunak has praised Nigel Lawson… View Article
Housing crisis ‘crippling’ economy says CPS Director
Announcements on housing from both Conservative leadership candidates “pander to the fantasy that we can build all the houses we need on brownfield far away from where any Tory voters might see it”, according to CPS Director Robert Colvile. In comments reported by The Guardian newspaper, he added “Britain has a housing crisis. It is crippling… View Article
Regressive, ineffective and unnecessary – an online sales tax is no way to help the high street
The government has published a consultation on the potential introduction of an Online Sales Tax (OST) and while some businesses and campaigners believe such a move could help protect Britain’s high streets, the case for an OST is only “superficially attractive”. Writing for CapX, Elizabeth Dunkley, researcher at the Centre for Policy Studies, argues that… View Article
Online sales tax would cost families £175 extra a year, Sunak told
Daily Telegraph reports on new research from the Centre for Policy Studies which calculated the introduction of a new online sales tax (OST) would cost Britain’s poorest households £76 per year, with average households being hit with a £175 annual bill. Seen by some as a way to level the playing field between online and… View Article
Campaigners warn childcare costs holding back careers in the City and beyond
A new study by union the TUC suggests the average nursery bill for a family with a toddler was just shy of £5,000 in 2010 but has grown to more than £7,000 just a dozen years later. Anecdotal evidence suggests those figures can reach significantly higher in London and the south east. Wonks at the… View Article
Rishi Sunak has room to cut taxes by £30bn to alleviate cost-of-living crisis
Tom Clougherty at the Centre for Policy Studies said he anticipates more calls from Conservative MPs for action into the autumn as the cost of living crisis intensifies. The Bank of England expects inflation to rise from 9pc in April to a peak of 10pc or more in October when energy prices rise again. Mr Clougherty said… View Article
‘They’re trying it on!’ Thatcher aide warns Boris not to ‘give an inch’ to striking unions
Lauren Maher of the Centre for Policy Studies said trade unions must not be allowed to “paralyse the country” and argued the Government “mustn’t succumb to strikers’ demands and further add to the costs of public services”. Warning of the damage rail strikes could cause, she said: “After the pandemic, commuter numbers have fallen off… View Article
What are the possible measures the government could bring in to help ease the cost of living crisis?
Many opposition MPs support green levies on energy bills, which add around £153 per year for the average household, because the cash goes toward helping the UK achieve its net-zero ambitions. But many backbench Tories want the levies to be scrapped, at least temporarily, with chair of the Commons Education Committee, Robert Halfon, describing the… View Article
Green levies should be taken off energy bills to ease costs, says think tank
Green levies should be scrapped from energy bills and shifted on to general taxation to reduce the burden on households, argues the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS). In its latest set of proposals to cut the cost of living crisis, the face spiralling energy, fuel and food costs, the think tank describes the measure as… View Article
UK Urged to Cancel Corporate Tax Increase to Boost Investment
The UK should cancel its planned corporate tax increase in order to ensure Britain remains an attractive place to do business, according to a new report by the Centre for Policy Studies. The UK’s corporate tax on companies with annual profits of more than £250,000 is due to rise to 25% in April from the… View Article
