Government
The latest news, updates and analysis on the government and what it is doing that affects the UK retail industry. Sign up to the Daily Briefing and let Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
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Oct- 2025 -30 October
Usdaw condemns peers for voting down Employment Rights bill
Usdaw has condemned Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers in the House of Lords for voting against various parts of the Employment Rights Bill, sending it back to the House of Commons. Tory and Lib Dem peers voted against measures surrounding zero-hours contracts, unfair dismissal from day one, industrial action ballot…
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20 October
BRC welcomes progress on Crime and Policing Bill
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has welcomed progress on the Crime and Policing Bill as it completed its Second Reading in the House of Lords yesterday, and will now go to the Committee Stage. The bill will remove the £200 threshold for ‘low level’ theft which the organisation believes will…
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Sep- 2025 -16 September
Usdaw calls on peers to end opposition to Employment Rights Bill
Retail union Usdaw has urged Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers to drop their opposition to the Employment Rights Bill after the government rejected all amendments proposed in the House of Lords. It said the Employment Rights Bill would enact “major” changes to UK employment law. Key proposals include banning exploitative…
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Jul- 2025 -16 July
Employment Rights Bill could cause ‘chronic’ overstaffing, Next boss warns
The boss of Next has warned that the Employment Rights Bill may leave businesses “chronically overstaffed”, particularly during seasonal quiet periods. Speaking at a House of Lords debate on Monday (14 July), Lord Wolfson said plans to ban zero-hours contracts and require companies to give staff a guaranteed minimum number…
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14 July
Reeves eyes business rates rise for supermarkets and department stores
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering increasing business rates for department stores and supermarkets as she looks to raise £1.7bn from businesses this autumn, according to The Telegraph. The outlet revealed that the chancellor is looking to plug the £5bn hole left after the government was forced to abandon cuts…
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May- 2025 -9 May
UK agrees trade deal with US but 10% tariff remains
The UK and the US have reached a “first-of-a-kind” trade agreement, under which the US will slash tariffs on UK carmakers, steelworks and farmers – protecting jobs and providing stability for exporters. According to the trade deal, car export tariffs will reduce from 27.5% to 10% – saving hundreds of…
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Apr- 2025 -24 April
Chancellor mulls ending tariff-free import scheme to combat Chinese dumping
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering ending the Low Value Import scheme, which currently allows online retailers to bring goods worth up to £135 into the country without paying customs duties. The move comes as the UK prepares for an influx of Chinese companies dumping stock for cheap as a result…
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9 April
Chancellor rejects calls for ‘Buy British’ campaign
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has rejected calls for a “Buy British” campaign in the face of tariffs from president Donald Trump, claiming it would risk making the UK appear too “inward-looking”. Reeves was responding to a question from Daisy Cooper MP of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Commons to…
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7 April
Entry-level job costs jump over 10% for retailers
The cost of employing people into entry-level jobs has increased over 10% for retailers as a result of the rise in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) coupled with the increase to the National Living Wage, according to the British Retail Consortium. Alongside this, the trade body has claimed that the cost…
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Feb- 2025 -28 February
London Mayor launches proposal to pedestrianise Oxford Street
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has today (28 February) launched a public consultation on proposals to pedestrianise Oxford Street. Oxford Street is an area of critical national economic importance, with an estimated annual contribution to London’s economy of £25bn in 2022. But the area has suffered in recent years…
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