Saturday, November 2

Day: December 28, 2018

VAT shock for thousands of small businesses if MPs back May’s Brexit deal
Featured, United Kingdom

VAT shock for thousands of small businesses if MPs back May’s Brexit deal

    Hundreds of thousands of small businesses face a VAT shock if Theresa May’s Brexit deal goes through, campaigners claimed last night. Small firms currently do not have to charge VAT on goods and services if their annual taxable turnover is less than £85,000 but an EU directive, expected to come into force next year, would reduce this to £76,700. The People’s Vote campaign which wants a second referendum claims Britain would have to implement this directive if MPs back Mrs May’s withdrawal agreement. This is because Britain would have to abide by EU rules during the transition period, without having the power to veto changes we do not like. The transition period lasts until at least the end of 2020. Europeans face having to send billions more to Brussels in a no-de...
May could be forced into second Brexit referendum by MPs’ tax threat
Featured, United Kingdom

May could be forced into second Brexit referendum by MPs’ tax threat

    MPs could block the government’s ability to collect taxes to force Theresa May to allow a Final Say referendum. Influential Tory rebel Dominic Grieve has backed a plan to make a new public vote rather than a no-deal Brexit the default option if Ms May’s deal is not approved by parliament by exit day in March. Under the proposal, set out in a report by campaign group Best for Britain, MPs would amend the Finance Bill when it return to the Commons on January 8, making future taxation conditional on holding a referendum (with an option to remain). If there is no majority, MPs could also try to unite those who want a Final Say with those who oppose a no-deal, by making hampering efforts to collect taxes unless the deal has been approved or a referendum scheduled, the r...
How UK aviation nut broke news of Trump’s secret Iraq trip
America, Featured

How UK aviation nut broke news of Trump’s secret Iraq trip

    An eagle-eyed photographer in South Yorkshire ensured the news of Donald Trump’s secret visit to Iraq emerged sooner than the White House intended. Self-described “aviation nut” Alan Meloy was on his front doorstep taking pictures of aircraft over the Sheffield suburb of Chapeltown when he spotted something a bit different flying up above. He quickly photographed the unusual plane and immediately recognised it to be one of the two aircraft used as Air Force One, the name given to the plane which the US President uses. At this point Mr Trump’s Iraq visit was still top secret – he and First Lady Melania had left Washington DC without fanfare in the middle of the night. So when Mr Meloy posted the image on photo-sharing site Flickr to see if anyone else had spotted i...