Latest news with #MarcNewton
Telegraph
13-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Donald Trump Jnr's gunmaker accuses Labour of punishing entrepreneurs
Labour is punishing successful entrepreneurs with tax rises and should show more 'gratitude', the boss of Britain's oldest gunmaker has warned. Marc Newton, the managing director of 250-year-old London gunmaker John Rigby & Co, whose clientele includes Donald Trump Jnr, said Rachel Reeves's 'punitive' tax rises are hurting aspiration. He said: 'I should really be a Labour poster boy. I grew up in a council house, from a broken family. I went to state school. I didn't go to university, I got an apprenticeship. I started a company 12 years ago that now employs 35 people, and we export all around the world. 'So why is it now that we're being punished so much? My children do go to a private school locally. VAT on those school fees, the NI [National Insurance] charges … There doesn't appear to be much gratitude. It feels very much punitive.' Mr Newton became the boss of Rigby after the company's German buyer, L&O Holding, returned its headquarters to London in 2013 after decades under American ownership. Mr Newton has been credited with its turnaround. However, he warned that Donald Trump's tariffs posed a risk to the business. Mr Trump's eldest son was among the attendees at Rigby's 250th anniversary in Portsmouth in May, alongside Nigel Farage and Middle Eastern sheikhs. However, pleas to exempt Britain's gun trade from US tariffs of 10pc have proved fruitless. Mr Newton said: 'I made sure I took a few moments to speak to [Trump Jnr] about it and say 'does British gunmaking really represent a trade threat to the US?' Probably not. 'The thing I say to Americans is 'this is coming out of your pocket. I'm not paying it'. He's aware of that. He's been a fantastic supporter. Hopefully, reason will prevail.' Rigby relies almost exclusively on exporting its high-end hunting rifles and guns, with the US and the Middle East the largest markets. The gunmaker also warned that the Chancellor's £25bn National Insurance tax raid undermines its ability to train young people and risks hurting the industry for years to come. Steven Monteith, Rigby's director of operations, said: 'Where it's going to impact us or other gunmakers is the junior people coming in, the apprentices starting with us. When you're bringing somebody in directly from school, they've got no training at all. 'It takes two to three years to train them up to start making money for the company. You're investing a lot of time, effort, and money in them. 'The time to train is quite exceptional in gunmaking. If that [prevents] even half a dozen people from starting in the trade, then that impact will be felt for years to come.'
Telegraph
11-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Fisherman catches rare lobster twice in two weeks
A fisherman has caught a rare blue lobster twice in a fortnight. Marc Newton, 35, hauled in the brightly-coloured crustaceans from the English Channel just 12 days apart. The fourth-generation fisherman, from Beer, Devon, caught the electric blue lobsters despite extreme odds, which some marine biologists have estimated are about two million to one. The rare colour is caused by a genetic mutation, which prompts the over-production of a certain protein. Mr Newton released the lobsters back into the waters on both occasions. The family fishing boat, Bess, is skippered by his father Jim, who has been fishing since he could walk. Mr Newton said: 'Our family has been supplying fresh local fish from our shop on Beer beach for the last 45 years. 'We're now the fourth generation carrying on this tradition.' He wrote in a social media post: 'Here he is again. On the left, we caught what looks like the same rare blue lobster as the other day. 'What do you think? Same or a different one?' Blue lobsters have been caught near Plymouth, Polperro, and Bangor, Northern Ireland, in recent years. It is even rarer for lobsters to be white in colour – only about one in 100 million are. In 2019, an albino lobster was caught near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and donated to the National Trust. The lobster's appearance was caused by a genetic defect called leucism, which leaves it with no pigment in its shell. Blue lobster is considered a delicacy, and starred in a lavish state dinner hosted by Emmanuel Macron for King Charles in 2023. The Élysée Palace spent close to €500,000 on the September visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla, which included about €40,000 on wine. The starter of blue lobster and crab was inspired by Louis XIV 's tastes. The feast was executed by a team of 45 chefs led by Yannick Alléno, Anne-Sophie Pic and French pastry chef Pierre Hermé, all of whom have Michelin stars.
