Incoming Barclays chairman John McFarlane to face “very challenging requirements” September 12, 2014 Aviva chairman John McFarlane will face "very challenging requirements" in his new role as chairman of Barclays, said the man who recruited him today. McFarlane, who is one of Scotland's most senior businessmen, will pick up the reins at Barclays' next AGM next April when incumbent Sir David Walker steps down. He is [...]
Will Scotland vote yes? Latest independence poll suggests it’s too close to call September 12, 2014 The latest poll on Scottish independence is out, and it makes the race too close to call. The ICM poll conducted for the Guardian puts the No campaign ahead on 51 per cent, but Yes Scotland is only two percentage points behind on 49 per cent, once don't knows were excluded. The poll will provide [...]
English devolution: Clegg backs “decentralisation decade” as Scots prepare for independence vote September 12, 2014 As the debate over Scottish independence rages on and the Better Together campaign promises more powers to Holyrood, English voters have started asking whether any of this great decentralisation of power will ever be coming their way. Well, it will be if Nick Clegg has anything to say about it. Today, the deputy prime minister [...]
London Fashion Week Spring 2015: What are the highlights? September 12, 2014 Julian Assange may have cancelled his London Fashion Week appearance, but we reckon there are still plenty of reasons to attend. The Wikileaks founder had been scheduled to model for Vivienne Westwood's son Ben Westwood at a show in the Ecuadorian embassy, but it's been postponed to next season's show in February. But [...]
Ebola: Cuba pledges doctors as WHO warns that infection rate outpaces ability to manage cases September 12, 2014 The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa is now beyond health authorities' ability to contain it, the World Health Organisation said today. The three worst affected countries – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone – are the most problematic, the international body said, with the rate of infection rising faster than capacity to cope. [...]
Marc Jacobs, McQ and Vivienne Westwood: Shop Direct lifts the lid on Very Exclusive launch brands September 12, 2014 My Wardrobe founder Sarah Curran has unveiled the details of her latest venture – a luxury arm within Shop Direct – and some of the brands that have signed up for its launch next February. Very Exclusive will focus on luxury women's clothing, footwear, accessories and beauty when it goes live during London Fashion [...]
UK construction output flat in July on back of slowing housebuilding market September 12, 2014 The UK's construction output was flat in July, according to month-on-month figures out this morning from the Office for National Statistics. On an annual basis, output has risen 2.6 per cent – the slowest rate of growth since November, and down from June's three month high of 5.3 per cent, the data showed. Could [...]
Virgin Money edges closer to IPO after 356pc increase in underlying profit September 12, 2014 Virgin Money has reported a 356 per cent increase in underlying profit before tax to £59.7m in a half-year trading update released this morning. The company also confirmed that Glen Moreno would take over as chairman of the company from mid-2015. IPO talk Profit before tax was down by 97 per cent, [...]
Boohoo share price soars after reporting accelerating sales growth September 12, 2014 Boohoo's share price soared six per cent this morning after revealing revenues will be up nearly a third for its first half. The etailer, which went public in March, is expecting revenues to rise 31 per cent to £67m for the six months to August 31, it said in a trading update this morning, [...]
Russia’s counter-sanctions: Used cars and clothes September 12, 2014 The new EU sanctions to be levelled at Russia from this morning will be harsh. They will further restrict Russian oil firms such as Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom from borrowing or raising capital on the EU markets. This is a big deal for the Russian companies, with Rosneft already having gone cap in hand to the [...]