Public sector net borrowing stood at £4.3 billion in July, £3.4 billion more than a year ago. PA
Public sector net borrowing stood at £4.3 billion in July, £3.4 billion more than a year ago. PA
Public sector net borrowing stood at £4.3 billion in July, £3.4 billion more than a year ago. PA
Public sector net borrowing stood at £4.3 billion in July, £3.4 billion more than a year ago. PA

Tight labour market boosts Treasury coffers but no tax cuts forecast in near future


Matthew Davies
  • English
  • Arabic

The British government borrowed less than expected last month, but the figure remained the fifth highest July number since records began in 1993, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The ONS said public sector net borrowing stood at £4.3 billion in July, £3.4 billion more than a year ago.

Economists had predicted borrowing of £4.9 billion.

Also, the ONS said the budget deficit between April and July was £56.6 billion ($72.3 billion), £11.3 billion less than the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast in March.

The UK's net debt was £2.58 trillion at the end of July, which equates to 98.5 per cent of the country's gross domestic product. It was also 1.9 per cent higher than at the end of July last year, the ONS said.

Upward revisions to gross domestic product figures in the last few months meant that the government's debt did not exceed 100 per cent of GDP in July.

Commuters walk over London Bridge in London. Higher wages are feeding through to tax receipts. Reuters
Commuters walk over London Bridge in London. Higher wages are feeding through to tax receipts. Reuters

Higher tax receipts

The government brought in more money than expected in July – at £85.2 billion, it was £3.4 billion more than in July 2022 and £2.3 billion more than the £82.9 billion forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

The £85.2 billion figure consisted of £65.6 billion worth of tax receipts, which was £3.9 billion more than in July 2022.

The ONS said that income taxes receipts rose £3.5 billion, the corporation tax take was up £0.7 billion, and £0.6 billion more VAT was gathered in July.

The government's coffers are benefiting from the UK's tight labour market, which is boosting taxes from rising wages, and the end of subsidies for household energy bills. Even though the tax receipts beat the OBR forecasts, experts said that shouldn't be read as a prelude to tax cuts.

“The tight labour market and strong wages growth it is fuelling is one of the main driving forces behind the better tax receipts, helping to offset the higher debt costs attributable to rising interest rates and high inflation,” said Stuart Cole, chief macro economist at Equiti Capital.

“However, how much room the government will ultimately have to cut taxes next year remains uncertain and is likely to be very limited.”

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Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km

Price: from Dh285,000

On sale: from January 2022 

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

MATCH INFO

Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)

TV: Abu Dhabi Sports

Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.

New schools in Dubai
The biog

Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."

Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell 

Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."

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Selected fixtures

All times UAE

Wednesday
Poland v Portugal 10.45pm
Russia v Sweden 10.45pm

Friday
Belgium v Switzerland 10.45pm
Croatia v England 10.45pm

Saturday
Netherlands v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Denmark 10.45pm

Sunday
Poland v Italy 10.45pm

Monday
Spain v England 10.45pm

Tuesday
France v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Wales 10.45pm

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Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20OneOrder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tamer%20Amer%20and%20Karim%20Maurice%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E82%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Series%20A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Name: Colm McLoughlin

Country: Galway, Ireland

Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free

Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah

 

SCORES IN BRIEF

Lahore Qalandars 186 for 4 in 19.4 overs
(Sohail 100,Phil Salt 37 not out, Bilal Irshad 30, Josh Poysden 2-26)
bt Yorkshire Vikings 184 for 5 in 20 overs
(Jonathan Tattersall 36, Harry Brook 37, Gary Ballance 33, Adam Lyth 32, Shaheen Afridi 2-36).

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Rating: 2/5
 
THURSDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court

Starting at 10am:

Lucrezia Stefanini v Elena Rybakina (6)

Aryna Sabalenka (4) v Polona Hercog

Sofia Kenin (1) v Zhaoxuan Yan

Kristina Mladenovic v Garbine Muguruza (5)

Sorana Cirstea v Karolina Pliskova (3)

Jessica Pegula v Elina Svitolina (2)

Court 1

Starting at 10am:

Sara Sorribes Tormo v Nadia Podoroska

Marketa Vondrousova v Su-Wei Hsieh

Elise Mertens (7) v Alize Cornet

Tamara Zidansek v Jennifer Brady (11)

Heather Watson v Jodie Burrage

Vera Zvonareva v Amandine Hesse

Court 2

Starting at 10am:

Arantxa Rus v Xiyu Wang

Maria Kostyuk v Lucie Hradecka

Karolina Muchova v Danka Kovinic

Cori Gauff v Ulrikke Eikeri

Mona Barthel v Anastasia Gasanova

Court 3

Starting at 10am:

Kateryna Bondarenko v Yafan Wang

Aliaksandra Sasnovich v Anna Bondar

Bianca Turati v Yaroslava Shvedova

Five expert hiking tips
    Always check the weather forecast before setting off Make sure you have plenty of water Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon Wear appropriate clothing and footwear Take your litter home with you
MATCH INFO

Newcastle 2-2 Manchester City
Burnley 0-2 Crystal Palace
Chelsea 0-1 West Ham
Liverpool 2-1 Brighton
Tottenham 3-2 Bournemouth
Southampton v Watford (late)

Updated: August 22, 2023, 8:20 AM`