Bauer Media names BBC boss Richard Dawkins as new head of European radio February 18, 2019 Media giant Bauer has named BBC executive Richard Dawkins as its new European radio boss, the company said today. Bauer, which owns radio stations such as Absolute and Kiss, said Dawkins will join the firm in late spring in the newly-created role of European radio chief operating officer. Read more: British commercial radio revenue breaks [...]
Debt rulings against corporations jumped 30 per cent last year February 18, 2019 There was an almost 30 per cent jump in county court judgments (CCJs) against corporations in 2018, according to figures released yesterday. A CCJ is a court order that can be registered against companies and individuals if they fail to repay money they owe. Read more: Looking out for the next financial crisis? Keep an [...]
Swiss Re completes 1bn Swiss franc share buyback ahead of financial results this week February 18, 2019 Swiss Re said today it had completed a 1bn Swiss franc (£771m) share buyback programme, ahead of announcing its 2018 financials this week. The Zurich-based insurer said it had bought 11.2m shares, equivalent to 3.21 per cent of its outstanding shares, at an average price of 89.17 frances per share. Read more: German insurance giant [...]
HSBC sued for £150m in relation to Disney tax avoidance scheme February 18, 2019 HSBC Private Bank is being sued for £150m by over 400 investors in connection with a film financing scheme that purported to invest money in Disney blockbusters for tax benefits. Investors, including ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and ex-England managers Sven-Goran Eriksson and Glenn Hoddle, lost out after tax authorities ruled that the film [...]
Holiday Homes: Head to Samoens in the French Alps to suss out new ski homes that allow you to resort hop at no extra cost February 18, 2019 Families wanting to buy a ski apartment without the hefty price tag of the best-known French resorts are finding smaller ski areas like Samoëns are a breath of fresh mountain air. An hour by car from Geneva, Samoëns is described by the French as one of their monuments historiques – that just happens to be [...]
EU president Juncker says Trump ‘gave his word’ not to impose car tariffs February 18, 2019 European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has said he is confident US President Donald Trump will not impose higher tariffs on European car imports. “Trump gave me his word that there won't be any car tariffs for the time being. I believe him,” Juncker told local media, according to his spokesperson. Read more: EU vehicles pose [...]
Opinion: Why Michael Gove’s plan to force housebuilders to leave green spaces better than they found them is a good idea February 18, 2019 Last December, Michael Gove announced proposals to enforce biodiversity net gain at new housing schemes. This would essentially require natural environments to be left in a better state than they were found by developers. The consultation on the plans closed on Sunday and I hope it will produce a host of positive outcomes. The environmental [...]
German prosecutors probe Financial Times journalist over Wirecard reporting February 18, 2019 Prosecutors in Munch have launched an investigation into a Financial Times (FT) journalist whose reporting of alleged fraud at Wirecard sparked a frenzy of short selling of the firm’s shares. The FT published a series of stories revealing alleged fraud at Wirecard’s Singapore office and an investigation by local police, causing shares in the fintech company to [...]
Galliford Try picks up £275m contract to build new Ealing Council base February 18, 2019 Construction firm Galliford Try has been tasked with building a new headquarters for Ealing Council in west London, in a £275m deal. As well as building council offices, the contract also includes building 470 new homes, half of which will be offered at social and London living rent prices, as well as a library. Read [...]
Labour’s Tom Watson warns more MPs will quit unless the party changes February 18, 2019 Labour’s deputy leader has warned more MPs will quit the party if it does not tackle anti-semitism and broaden its appeal. Speaking after seven MPs announced they had resigned from Labour, Tom Watson delivered a sobering assessment of the civil war engulfing the party as he called for “kinder and gentler” politics from Jeremy Corbyn’s [...]