COMMENT
Could do better
A
s usual, it had the potential to be so much better, to offer so much more for so many more people and businesses. In the end, it was just more hot air, with a few crumbs thrown out to appease the peasants.
The 2024 Spring Budget wasn’t really up to much was it? At times the Budget speech, which, depending on the timing of the forthcoming General Election, could be Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s last, seemed more of a party-political broadcast. Hunt slagged off the Opposition’s plans for some time before he actually set out any of his own. Not that you could hear a huge amount at times, with the noise that the MPs were making. Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing was doing her best to keep the proceedings smooth, but it was difficult. Then Hunt proceeded to bring in in something that was very definitely designed to strike a blow at Labour - the scrapping of the non-dom tax status to be replaced with something more modern, simple and fair, which is something that Labour has said it would do if elected. In fact, it’s one of the few clear things that they have said they’ll do, everything else is a bit woolly. There will be people who will be very pleased with Hunt’s further 2p cut to the National Insurance rate. Though with a continuing high cost of everything - food, fuel, energy - any savings are likely to be swallowed up pretty quickly. Leaving aside the debate about whether people who chose to repopulate should automatically get a tax-payer funded benefit, the changes to Child Benefit also make some sense. It’s ridiculous that a household with a single earner bringing in £50,000 has to start repaying it, yet a two-person household income of £99,000 gets to keep the lot.
There could have been opportunities to boost
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EDITORIAL
Group Managing Editor: Fiona Russell Horne 01622 699101 07721 841382
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Assistant editors
Will McGill 01622 699185
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Production Controller: Nic Mandeville
this sector but, inevitably, they were missed. There was nothing to get householders to even look at improving the energy efficiency of their homes, let alone actually invest in it. The planning system, which is one of the elements housebuilders blame for the slow rate of housebuilding, could have come in for some reform but it didn’t.
There was nothing to stimulate housebuilding at all, yet it’s clear from looking at the Travis Perkins results for starters, that the dismal numbers of new homes being built is having far- reaching effects in all areas of this industry. It was very definitely a Budget for the pre- Election period, and to get the Tories through to the Autumn. I’m not sure that Hunt’s actions on March 5 will be enough to boost confidence in the UK economy enough to bring the growth that is needed, nor to save the Party’s election prosects. That said, in theory, there is time for a further Autumn Statement, should Rishi Sunak want to string his premiership out as far as he can.
The key to building a growing, thriving economy, is confidence. Consumer confidence, business confidence, investor confidence. The Liz Truss/Kwasi Kwarteng debacle of a Budget was aimed at boosting growth, not in itself a bad thing, but it frightened the horses. The Market – investors – didn’t believe that the measures outlined in that Budget would work, and they acted accordingly, with horrible consequences. The thing about confidence is that it’s very easy to lose, and really hard to build back up. You can’t force people to feel confident about what you are doing if they don’t truly believe that what you’re doing is right. BMJ
Fiona Russell Horne Group Managing Editor - BMJ
“
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
CONTENTS ” William Shakespeare: Hamlet 4 Newsround
The news from around the industry. 8 News Extra
Breedon’s new tile plant opens in Lisburn. 10 People
Who’s moved where, and 10 minutes with…
11 Meet the future Bradford’s Matti Hart talks to BMJ.
12 Business Helpdesk The latest advice from the BMF’s business support partners.
14 Business Focus Newer payment methods can save merchants money
16 BMJ INDUSTRY AWARDS 2024
Nominations are now open 18 Viewpoint
Our regular and guest columnists. 22 Merchant Focus
Total Building Materials knows how it wants to do things
25 Sustainability The latest industry efforts to save the planet.
29 Doors & Windows Trends, developments, investment
30 Landscaping The oputdoors is still in
37 Flooring Options to boost sales
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Publisher: Paul Ryder
pryder@datateam.co.uk CIRCULATION
ABC audited average circulation
July 2018-June 2019: 7,801 © Datateam Business Media Ltd 2024
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means, electronic or mechanical including photo-copying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written consent of the publisher. The title Builders Merchants Journal is registered at Stationers’ Hall. Suppliers have contributed towards production costs of some photographs in this issue.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
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38 NMBS Show What to expect next month
40 Painting & Decorating What the best dressed walls are wearing
42 BMF Industry Voice News and views from the BMF’s own pages. 44 Product News
Latest products and developments from suppliers.
46 And Finally News and the Prize Crossword.
March 2024
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net 3
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