British Gas owner Centrica set to unveil £100m tech startup investment February 18, 2017 The owner of British Gas is set to invest £100m in technology startups in a bid to push further into the Internet of Things as part of its customer retention strategy. The £12bn London-listed gas supplier Centrica will on Monday announce a new company called Centrica Innovations, according to the Financial Times. The new project [...]
German chancellor Angela Merkel says there is a problem with the weak euro February 18, 2017 German chancellor Angela Merkel has said there is a “problem” with the value of the euro, in an unusual comment at a time when the country has come under sustained criticism over the currency. At a security conference in Munich Merkel said: "We have at the moment in the Eurozone of course a problem with [...]
Prime Minister Theresa May to work on new domestic violence law February 18, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May has announced she will be leading work on a new law on domestic violence and abuse. There is an “unacceptable diversity” in the way domestic abuse is handled by police forces around Britain, Downing Street said in a statement. Along with her efforts to tackle modern slavery, domestic abuse is an [...]
Property Legal Q&A: I own a flat that has 87 years left to run on the lease. Should I extend the lease? February 18, 2017 A: A longer lease has the advantage of being both more mortgageable and more attractive in the market. A leasehold flat whose term has significantly reduced (say to below 50 years) is a wasting asset, and extending its lease term is essential to preserve the value. The Government in the recent Housing White Paper states [...]
American commitment to Nato is “unwavering” says US vice president Mike Pence February 18, 2017 American vice president Mike Pence has told world leaders the US would remain committed to Nato, after President Donald Trump questioned the worth of the military alliance. Pence offered “unwavering” commitment to Nato and said the US “is now and will always be your greatest ally” to delegates including German chancellor Angela Merkel at a security [...]
The Treasury says RBS may not have to sell Williams & Glyn after all under £750m deal February 18, 2017 The government has announced RBS may not have to sell its 307 Williams & Glyn branches, with the bailed-out bank instead being forced to spend £750m on a competition-boosting fund for challenger banks. Europe’s commissioner for competition policy will start the process of finding an alternative to a sale, which could see a removal of [...]
London’s T-charge, which will affect up to 10,000 high pollution vehicles, will be introduced in October February 17, 2017 Take a deep breath – or don't… yet. There's going to be a new emissions charge in the City starting 23 October. London mayor Sadiq Khan today confirmed his plans for a £10 emissions surcharge, or T-charge, on older polluting vehicles in the city centre. Khan announced the news on the 14th anniversary of London's congestion charge, [...]
Could Tony Blair be Labour’s next leader? Bookies are offering odds on it happening… February 17, 2017 Tony Blair's rousing anti-Brexit speech today may have garnered plenty of opposition – not least from the foreign secretary, who accused the erstwhile PM of insulting the electorate's intelligence. But some suggest the speech may have been Blair's first step towards staging a glorious comeback. William Hill has put the odds of Blair standing in [...]
Britons spend £19,000 every year on bills February 17, 2017 British families spend almost three-quarters of an average wage on bills and accommodation, according to a new study. The average family in the UK spends £19,142.37 on the basics for a fully functioning home, including mortgages or rent, insurance, gas, and electricity, according to a study by Powershop UK. Utility bills on average comprised £520 [...]
BT and Inmarsat shatter returns at hedge fund Lansdowne February 17, 2017 One of London's oldest and most highly-respected hedge funds was hit by the poor performance of shares in BT and Inmarsat in January, according to reports. Lansdowne Partners said the shocking performance of BT in the wake of a profit warning and a £530m accounting black hole in its Italian division, together with the floundering of [...]