Rail reforms must not dilute competition, warns CPS
The Government is right to pursue more flexible ticketing policies, especially in the light of the pandemic.
Parliament must determine what is and isn’t permitted, not Ofcom or media platforms
‘It is clear the Government is making a genuine attempt to improve safety online, while trying to avoid curbing freedom of expression, and we welcome some of the steps taken to restrict the scope of who this legislation will apply to.
Dr Frank Luntz joins CPS as Visiting Academic Fellow
The Centre for Policy Studies is delighted to announce that Dr Frank Luntz, the leading American pollster and political strategist, will be joining the think tank as a Visiting Academic Fellow this summer
ONS Public Spending figures show the focus must now be on how to stimulate growth
Responding to this morning’s ONS figures – which show borrowing has reached the highest level since WW2 – Robert Colvile, Director of the Centre for Policy Studies
Planning reform must focus on delivery and role of SMEs to solve the housing crisis
New CPS report argues that SMEs need to play a much greater role in the sector, including getting priority when public sector land is sold for housing.
The Chancellor’s corporation tax increase will hit UK competitiveness rating
The planned rise in corporation tax to 25% will give the UK one of the least competitive tax systems in the OECD In the 2020 edition of the International Tax Competitiveness Index, the UK ranked 22nd out of 36 OECD countries Raising the tax rate in 2023, just as the investment super-deduction ends, will make… View Article
The CPS welcomes Budget focus on free ports, full expensing, but warns of long-term growth challenge.
Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget statement, the Centre for Policy Studies, the leading centre-right think tank, welcomes Rishi Sunak’s plan for a business-led recovery, but urges him to do more to increase growth in the long term. Robert Colvile, CPS Director, said: ‘The combination of business rate reductions, investment incentives and other measures should help business… View Article
Stamp duty holiday boosts sales by almost 140%
The stamp duty holiday has helped bring housing transactions to the highest level since the financial crisis in 2007. It has also warded off a collapse of the housebuilding sector, with more new builds completed in Q3 2020 than in the same period in 2019. If the holiday ends in March as planned, we risk… View Article
PM must repay the North’s faith by unleashing a new ‘Northern Big Bang’, built around private investment
The North of England was once the powerhouse of the British economy, but today it has some of the least productive areas in Europe. Ministers need to match the radical spirit of those in the North who voted Brexit in 2016 and Tory in 2019, and repay their faith, by making it home to a… View Article
Carbon taxes would be a powerful tool in the fight against climate change
Responding to the Prime Minister’s reported plans to introduce carbon taxes, Eamonn Ives, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Policy Studies, said: “It’s encouraging to see the Government express its interest in carbon taxes – which have been proven to be powerful tools in the fight against climate change, but are woefully underutilised. Ideally, any carbon tax… View Article
The new fight for fairness – Liz Truss’ speech at the Centre for Policy Studies
Today the Minister for Women and Equalities, the Rt Hon Liz Truss MP, delivered a landmark speech setting a new approach to tackling inequality across the UK. At the heart of the new direction will be a commitment to individual dignity and opportunity. This is the first time in several years that a Cabinet minister has delivered… View Article
Online Harms Bill must protect freedom of speech as well as the young and vulnerable
Responding to today’s Government statement on plans to regulate online harms, Robert Colvile, Director of the CPS, said: “We are pleased to see the Government is moving in the right direction on online harms, and adopting a more balanced approach as set out by the CPS’s paper in the summer. “We recommended treating large and small… View Article
CPS Response to the Chancellor’s Spending Review for 2021-22
Read the press release Responding to the Chancellor’s Spending Review for 2021-22, Robert Colvile, Director of the CPS, said: “Today’s spending review recognises the extraordinary scale of the Government’s fiscal response to the pandemic, but also the extraordinary and long-lasting economic damage that it has inflicted. “It is right to prioritise jobs, health and… View Article
Capital Gains Tax rise will impede growth and investment
Responding to proposals by the Office of Tax Simplification to bring Capital Gains Tax rates in line with income tax, Robert Colvile, Director of the CPS, said: “As our Head of Tax, Tom Clougherty, pointed out in a recent CPS briefing note, aligning Capital Gains Tax and Income Tax rates, as suggested by the Office of Tax Simplification, would seriously… View Article
New report sets out £30bn in government savings
The coronavirus crisis has left a gaping hole in the public finances. Government figured being released this week (Wednesday) are expected to show borrowing has reached historic levels as a result of the pandemic. Instead of raising taxes, which would risk choking off recovery, the Government should first ensure that every pound of existing spending is… View Article
UK ranks in bottom half of international tax competitiveness index
UK comes 22nd out of 36 OECD countries in 2020 International Tax Competitiveness Index, published today by the US-based Tax Foundation. 16 European countries are already outperforming UK on tax competitiveness. The UK currently ranks 33rd out of 36 on property taxes, 17th for corporation tax and 24th on personal income taxes. Tax rises on business reportedly being considered… View Article
