London Mayor Sadiq Khan announces junk food advertising ban on entire Transport for London network from early 2019 November 23, 2018 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has today confirmed that junk food advertising will be banned across the entire Transport for London network from 25 February 2019. The groundbreaking ban will be implemented on all transport controlled by TfL, including the underground, overground, London buses, trams and river services, and will stop companies from advertising foods that are [...]
Outsourcer Interserve’s share price falls as debts pile up November 23, 2018 Embattled outsourcing company Interserve will next year aim to quickly sell off assets to reduce its debt, amid concerns raised this month about its financial situation. Shares dropped again this morning by as much as eight per cent as the group said it would dispose of non-core businesses while considering options to “bring new capital [...]
Parliament will vote down May’s Brexit deal, says Dominic Raab November 23, 2018 Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab believes parliament will vote down the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal next month. However, MPs could agree stopgap measures to prevent the alternative of the UK crashing out the EU without a deal, he told the BBC’s Today programme this morning. "We will I think inevitably see parliament vote this deal [...]
Fuller’s preparations for Christmas eat into profits, despite revenue receiving a World Cup boost November 23, 2018 Profits at pub chain Fuller's Brewery have fallen as the firm attempted to brace itself for the Christmas period, despite rising revenues after a long summer and England's performance in the World Cup. Its share price fell more than 1.2 per cent as markets opened this morning. The figures Revenue for the six months to [...]
We live in a material world, so let’s embrace Black Friday – and freedom November 23, 2018 Today is Black Friday: a day that conjures up images of keen shoppers scrambling to be first in the door at 5am to secure that half-price LED 50-inch TV, while scrums of people fight tooth and nail for the last discounted kettle. This is how we usually characterise this annual sales fest, ever since Asda [...]
We all want to end childhood obesity, but Sadiq Khan’s TfL advert ban is a load of junk November 23, 2018 Childhood obesity in London is becoming an epidemic. Research has demonstrated that London has the highest rate of childhood obesity of any major global city. By school year six (age 11) almost 40 per cent of children are classed as overweight or obese. We all agree that something has to be done. The question is: [...]
Breaking up is hard to do, so why not put a ring on audit? November 23, 2018 Never have there been more eyes on audit. Sir John Kingman is examining the Financial Reporting Council and how audit can best be regulated. The Competition and Markets Authority is investigating competition and choice in the listed audit market. The BEIS Select Committee announced last week that it too will scrutinise audit, and the Audit [...]
DEBATE: Should Theresa May try to renegotiate her Brexit deal at the EU Summit this weekend? November 23, 2018 Should Theresa May try to renegotiate her Brexit deal at the EU Summit this weekend? Ruth Lea, economic adviser to the Arbuthnot Banking Group, says YES. There is little doubt that the withdrawal agreement, including the egregious backstop and the backstop-based draft future relationship, would leave this country in the worst of all possible worlds if the [...]
New magazines fuel Future’s profit jump after spending spree November 23, 2018 Future reported huge jumps in both profit and revenue in its full-year results today after a string of acquisitions breathed new life into the magazine publisher, sending shares up almost five per cent in early trading. The figures Group revenue grew by 48 per cent year on year to £124.6m for the 12 months to the [...]
Guest notes: Boatman’s analysis on Babcock should be treated with scepticism November 23, 2018 All the noise around Babcock and its financial woes have left me feeling distinctly uncomfortable. It’s not the fact that the company has issues, as do most outsourcers. My problem is with the source of the recent vicious bear raid on the business – the so-called Boatman Capital. It is a month since Boatman and [...]