Latest news with #Liverpudlian
Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Liverpool minicab firm defeats Uber in Supreme Court
A Liverpudlian minicab company has won a David vs Goliath legal victory against Uber that means small taxi companies will not have to pay VAT on fares. The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that minicab drivers could trade directly with passengers, a legal position that means the vast majority of private hire trips will not incur the 20pc tax. Uber and other minicab firms in London have had to pay VAT on rides since the US company lost a High Court case in 2021. However, the situation was unresolved outside the capital, which is governed by different private hire laws. Uber had sought a legal declaration that all minicab operators should have to pay VAT, with the High Court ultimately siding with the US tech company on the matter. However, this was later challenged by Delta Taxis, a Liverpool-based minicab firm that has operated in the city since 1968. Delta warned that a victory for Uber would lead to a 20pc rise in fares and had positioned the battle as a 'David vs Goliath moment', accusing Uber of a 'cynical, heavy-handed attack against smaller, independent family-run businesses like ours'. The Merseyside company, which has around 2,000 drivers, had raised money for the case by crowdfunding along with Cardiff firm Veezu. They were also supported by Uber rival Bolt. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court upheld Delta's successful Court of Appeal challenge, meaning that small firms can keep operating without paying VAT. The decision is the latest legal setback for Uber, which has suffered defeats over the status of its drivers as well as its business model in London. The legal arguments centred around whether minicab firms could employ an 'agency' model, in which a passenger's contract is with the driver, or a 'principal' model, in which the passenger's contract is with the business. Under the former model, fares are generally not liable for VAT, since individual drivers do not tend to meet the £90,000 annual revenue threshold for paying the tax. The Supreme Court ruled that operators outside of London could employ either model. Uber and other minicab firms in London pay VAT under the principal model. The US company has applied this policy nationwide and said it would continue to do so despite the ruling. 'Time to level the playing field' An Uber spokesman said: 'The Supreme Court ruling confirms that different contractual protections apply for people booking trips in London compared to the rest of England and Wales. The ruling has no impact on Uber's application of VAT, which has been upheld twice by other courts.' Bolt, an Uber rival, called for legal changes to overturn VAT charges in London. Kimberly Hurd, its UK boss, said: 'We welcome the court's decision to uphold the agency model, a framework taxi firms and customers across the country have relied on for 50 years. 'It's time for a modern, consistent regulatory framework that levels the playing field for all operators, regardless of where they are.' Uber and Bolt have separately challenged HMRC over how VAT is charged on fares. The companies have argued that the tax should only be applied to a business's cut of fares, which is between 15pc and 25pc, while HMRC had argued it should be the entire fare. HMRC has stopped collecting VAT from Uber after Bolt won a legal victory against the tax authority in March, pending a ruling in Uber's separate case.
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
When is Misfits 22? Date and full fight card for Darren Till vs Luke Rockhold
Darren Till and Luke Rockhold will go head-to-head in a blockbuster showdown in the main event at Misfits 22 in Manchester next month Darren Till returns for his third fight this year and will take on former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. The 'Gorilla' made his professional boxing debut back in January and scored a devastating knockout victory over Anthony Taylor. Four months later, he returned to the ring, taking on former UFC contender Darren Stewart. The Liverpudlian would go on to cruise to a decision victory. As for Rockhold, the UFC icon retired from MMA back in 2022 after suffering a defeat to Paulo Costa. The American was quick to try his luck in other sport as he took on Mike Perry under the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship banner, but would go on to lose in the second round. Last year, the 40-year-old made his Karate Combat debut against Joe Schilling and went on to score a destructive knockout in the third round. And so, here is everything you need to know about Misfits 22.... When is Darren Till vs Luke Rockhold? Misfits 22 will take place at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday, August 20. While official fight times are yet to be confirmed, it is expected to start at around 5pm UK time (12pm ET / 11am CT / 9am PT). In the main event, Luke Rockhold will likely make the walk to the ring first at around 10pm UK time (5pm ET / 4pm CT / 3pm PT) with Till set to follow immediately after. The two stars will then touch gloves just after 10.20pm UK time before the first bell sounds. The fight should not start later than this but could be brought forward if the undercard fights are completed earlier than expected. How to watch Darren Till vs Luke Rockhold on TV and live stream The showdown between the pair will be streamed live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe. It remains to be seen whether the fight card will be streamed live on pay-per-view. A month-to-month subscription with the popular streaming service will cost fans £14.99. Full fight card and undercard Darren Till vs Luke RockholdTony Ferguson vs Salt PapiDillon Danis vs Warren SpencerJoey Essex vs Numeiro *full card subject to change Quotes corner Darren Till:"I can take every shot. Look at the shots I took from all the guys I fought at middleweight. No one knocked me out. Nobody knocked me out at middleweight, and I fought all the best guys. [Robert] Whittaker, Dricus [du Plessis], all them guys, [Kelvin] Gastelum. I laughed at everyone and I've got a f***ing chin. You got battered by Mike Perry, and let me just tell ya, I'm not even looking for the Mike Perry fight now. He's that much of a bum. He's the biggest bum out there. He's a bum." Luke Rockhold:"I can move better than anybody… on my feet. I can hit harder than anybody with both of my hands and I am working hard and I ain't getting tired. I think people have got a false representation of my last fight in the UFC. Obviously, I looked tired and old… I was f****** off for three years. During COVID, I was living like Darren Till. These last three or four years since, I have been working hard. I have a here and there, but I wake up the next morning, I run and work and I am diligently being a better man everyday and I am in shape. I am excited to go out there and perform."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NatWest on high alert over wealthy exodus risk
NatWest executives are on high alert over the potential exit of wealthy customers from Britain after Rachel Reeves's changes to non-dom rules. Paul Thwaite, chief executive, said the bank was monitoring the impact of Labour's policies on rich customers 'very closely' as he suggested tax rises could force its millionaire customers to leave. NatWest owns Coutts, the centuries-old private bank for wealthy individuals. Often referred to as the 'King's bank', it has thousands of rich customers with upwards of £3m in spare savings. Speaking on Friday, Mr Thwaite said: 'We're not at this stage seeing any meaningful change in terms of behaviour, but that customer base is very alive to policy change, be that tax or regulatory. 'We're monitoring very closely, but no meaningful change at this stage.' His comments come as thousands of millionaires have left the UK since Labour entered power last year in the largest exodus of rich people from any country in over a decade. According to research by Henley & Partners, 16,500 high-net-worth individuals will leave the UK this year because of the non-dom abolition by Ms Reeves. An overhaul of Britain's non-dom regime and more stringent inheritance tax rules have made Britain less appealing for wealthy foreigners, with some warning the crackdown risks creating the perception that the UK Government is hostile to wealthy people. Since the changes were introduced a number of high-profile figures have left, including Goldman Sachs' Richard Gnodde, Aston Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris and Norwegian shipping billionaire John Fredriksen. 'Strong economies need strong banks' There was no obvious sign of stress at NatWest from the changes, with its private banking and wealth management – which includes Coutts – reporting a 44pc rise in half-year operating profit versus a year ago to £201m. 'We're very pleased with the performance of Coutts and the wealth business. It does have some international clients though,' Mr Thwaite said. The Liverpudlian chief, who replaced Dame Alison Rose as chief executive two years ago, also warned that any hit to Britain's banks risks harming the country's economy. He said that Labour should be 'thoughtful about any signals that they can send in respect of policy'. He said: 'My view is strong economies need strong banks. I really want to use the bank's capital to invest in the business and also support customers. 'Ultimately, as I've said, that that will be beneficial to the UK. What's very important, from an investor perspective, is they have consistency, stability and predictability.' NatWest launched a £750m share buyback scheme and said it would pay out another £768m to shareholders as an interim dividend after the bank posted better-than-expected profits. NatWest reported pre-tax profits of £1.8bn for the second quarter of 2025, compared to £1.7bn last year. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Gary Anderson shows who he really is after Stephen Bunting misses out on nine-darter
Gary Anderson can sometimes be a prickly figure in the world of darts, but the Flying Scotsman's class was on full display when he faced Stephen Bunting at the World Matchplay Gary Anderson demonstrated true sportsmanship by willing Stephen Bunting on to complete a nine-dart finish at the World Matchplay. The Flying Scotsman came up against the beloved Liverpudlian in the second round at Blackpool. Their thrilling battle saw Bunting edge past the two-time PDC World Champion in a dramatic tie-break and book himself a place in the quarter-final. The most spectacular moment on the oche occurred in the 15th leg, with Bunting ahead 8-6 against Anderson in the first-to-11 contest. Having thrown eight perfect darts, Bunting needed just double 12 to secure a nine-dart finish. Despite the crucial nature of the leg, Anderson could be spotted behind Bunting, urging his rival to achieve the classic nine-dart finish that would have electrified the crowd. When Bunting's dart landed inside for a single 12 rather than the double, the Bullet placed both hands on his head and turned towards Anderson. The Musselburgh ace was grinning in anticipation of Bunting achieving perfection and gestured playfully with his hands and smiled when he missed the final dart. Reflecting on his nine-dart attempt, Bunting said: "It was close, to be fair. "If I had it back, I think it'd be further away! But I feel like I'm playing the best darts of my life. "Even in practice I'm hitting nines and constantly being on for the double. The game's in a great place." Bunting nearly threw away the leg when he squandered two attempts at a double on his subsequent visit, but finally clinched it with a double three. Following considerable back-and-forth action, Bunting secured a 12-10 triumph in the decider with a composed 112 checkout. The duo shared a heartfelt embrace at the conclusion of the match, with Anderson embracing and congratulating Bunting with a handshake. It represented a massive win for Bunting, who readily acknowledged he wasn't firing on all cylinders early in the contest. The world No. 4 said: "I'm not a village idiot anymore who comes here and has a laugh. I'm here to win this title. "I'd be fooling myself if I didn't believe I could win it. I know how good I can be – I've got three good games in the tank, and I've had a great season already." He added: "I think two years ago I'd have capitulated at 10-10. Now I've got that extra power to take a deep breath, relax, and get back to the oche and hit a big shot. "That mental strength is going to stand me in good stead – not just for this tournament, but for everything going forward."
Metro
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Billy Joel savagely slates 'half-assed' Beatles album
Billy Joel has slammed one of The Beatles most acclaimed albums (Pictures: Getty) Billy Joel has unexpectedly taken aim at The Beatles, calling one of their albums a 'collection of half-assed songs'. In 1968, five years after the release of their debut album Please Please Me, the Liverpudlian band dropped their self-titled album, which also came to become known as the White Album. The album featured 30 songs, including Blackbird, Helter Skelter and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Topping record charts in Britain and the United States, the album has since been certified 24× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and labelled by some as one of the greatest albums of all time. However nearly 60 years on, one of the band's contemporaries Billy, 76, has made it clear he is not a fan. The White Album was written when the band – which included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – attended a Transcendental Meditation course in Rishikesh, India. The American singer said the band's 1968 The White Album was a 'collection of half-assed songs' (Picture: Angela Weiss/ AFP via Getty Images) The band's line up consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison (Picture: Jeff Hochberg/ Getty Images) Reflecting on the release Billy – best known for his 1973 song Piano Man – didn't mince his words. He suggested the Fab Four were 'too stoned' or 'didn't care anymore' when recording the string of songs. 'I hear it as a collection of half-assed songs they didn't finish writing because they were too stoned, or they didn't care anymore,' he said on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast, which was released this week. 'I think they had fragments and they put them on the album.' Win tickets to see Tom Jones and Sugababes at Camp Bestival worth £1,172 We've teamed up with Camp Bestival Dorset to give one lucky Metro reader and their family the chance to win family weekend tickets, worth up to £1,172! Created by families, for families, Camp Bestival combines all the fun of a fantastic family camping holiday with everything you would expect from a perfect and action-packed festival adventure. Headliners include music legend Sir Tom Jones, pop icons Sugababes, plus a carnival-filled live show from electronic music duo Basement Jaxx. Simply enter your details here to be in with a chance of winning four tickets to this epic experience. You have until midnight on 23 July to enter. Good luck! * Open to GB residents (excluding Northern Ireland) aged 18+. Promotion opens at 18:01 on 16/7/25 and closes at 23:59 on 23/7/25. Entrant must submit their first and last name, email address, date of birth and postcode when prompted via the entry form available on (available here). 1 prize available of a family weekend camping ticket, including two (2) adult tickets and up to four (4) child and/or teen tickets in any combination as chosen by the winner to attend Camp Bestival (Lulworth Castle, Dorset) from 31st July 2025 to 3rd August 2025. Maximum 1 entry per person. Attendance is governed by the Camp Bestival Terms and Conditions. Full T&Cs apply, see here. He went on to suggest that Lennon was 'disassociating at that point'. 'I think Paul was carrying the weight,' he said. The White Album was a critical and commercial success 'Sometimes they were more prolific and sometimes they weren't, and I hear that in some of those things.' During the recording of the album, the only Western instrument available to the band was an acoustic guitar, with the sound also scaled down and the band breaking with their tradition of incorporating several musical styles in one song. Lennon – who was killed in 1980 – once famously quipped that 'the break-up of The Beatles can be heard on that album'. The band split two years later. Meanwhile Sir Paul previously addressed criticism of the album, telling Radio Luxembourg: 'I'm not a great one for that whole, 'Y'know maybe it was too many of that'. What do you mean? It was great, it sold. It's the bloody Beatles White Album, shut up!' Before Billy slated one of The Beatle's most acclaimed releases, earlier this year Sir Paul spoke about his admiration of the singer-songwriter. Billy is best known for his 1973 hit Piano Man (Picture: Michael Putland/ Getty Images) Speaking in the Billy Joel: And So It Goes documentary, he spoke about wishing he had penned Billy's 1997 single Just the Way You Are. 'When I first heard Billy, it was like 'Oh, wait a minute. He's good. Who's this?',' he recalled. 'You know, like you do, your ears prick up. The song that really made me know that that was happening was Just the Way You Are. 'And where I get asked, 'Is there a song that you wish you'd written?'. And I always…that's the one I always say.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. Arrow MORE: Sir Tom Jones, 85, cancels gig hours before performance after sad health update Arrow MORE: Oasis reassures cheating fans they are 'safe' after Coldplay kiss-cam saga
