We should roll back the barriers to growth post-Brexit – not employment rights February 13, 2017 For years, some of the people I’ve encountered on the Westminster circuit have argued that one of the principal reasons for the UK to leave the EU is employment law. For this hardy bunch, and their tight circle of business supporters, rolling back employment legislation always seemed to be the answer to everything that ails Britain. [...]
With Britain on track to invoke Article 50 in March, is the EU unprepared for the implications of Brexit? February 13, 2017 Tim Worstall, senior fellow of the Adam Smith Institute, and author of Chasing Rainbows: Economic Myths, Environmental Facts, says Yes. There are minor implications of Brexit that Europe hasn’t really got to grips with yet. Given that the UK has long been a substantial net contributor, who is going to fill the hole in their [...]
Trivago’s boss on how the travel group finds the hotel that fits you perfectly February 13, 2017 While Trivago was meeting American investors ahead of its December listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange, chief executive Rolf Schroemgens realised many of the people he met had a very limited understanding of the company. Despite a boost to the hotel search engine’s profile in 2013 when American travel giant Expedia snapped up 63.5 per cent of the company [...]
January footfall fell at the steepest rate since the Brexit vote February 13, 2017 In January the number of shoppers in the UK fell at the steepest rate since the month of the EU referendum. Footfall fell 1.3 per cent year-on-year in January, according to data from Springboard and the British Retail Consortium. This was the sharpest drop-off in customer numbers since a 2.8 per cent drop in June [...]
Millions are risking credit rejection thanks to exes with poor financial histories February 13, 2017 A clean break from an ex-partner can be easier said than done… And now, new research from credit checking firm ClearScore has found that millions of Brits risk being turned down for mortgages and other financial products, because they’re unknowingly still tied to ex-partners with poor financial histories. Once you’ve made the step to take [...]
Clintons mulls shutting up more than a hundred shops February 13, 2017 Greetings cards chain Clintons is mulling the closure of more than a hundred high street stores. According to The Telegraph, the chain’s US owner American Greetings is contemplating shutting 120 of its 393 Clintons shops, which have not been modernised yet and are “subject to an ongoing strategic review”. American Greetings has also slowed down the programme to revamp [...]
Small businesses at sea over Brexit as the weak pound causes headaches February 13, 2017 Theresa May has not triggered Article 50 yet, but the uncertainty stirred up by Brexit, and the weak pound, are already weighing on small and medium-sized businesses. According to accountancy firm Moore Stephens, the fall in sterling in the wake of the Brexit vote on 23 June has been a key problem for businesses, with [...]
The FCO is leading a delegation of British life sciences firms to China this week February 13, 2017 A Foreign Office minister is leading a delegation of British healthcare and life sciences firms to China this week in a bid to boost trade. Asia-Pacific minister Alok Sharma will be in South China from Monday to Wednesday, before visiting Beijing to meet with Chinese ministers. It comes just days after Downing Street confirmed that Prime Minister [...]
Britain’s small and medium-sized firms are left in a trade limbo because of Brexit uncertainty February 13, 2017 Around half of small firms say Brexit will change their trading habits, but they're not sure how, according to money transfer platform TransferWise. Numerous small firms rely on international income, but Brexit uncertainty is leaving them in a trade limbo. Over a quarter receive more than £100,000 a year in international turnover. With nearly 99 per cent [...]
The average house price in England and Wales has gone above £300,000 February 13, 2017 The average house price in England and Wales has gone over £300,000 for the first time. According to the Your Move house price index, house prices grew 3.1 per cent year-on-year across England and Wales in January, reaching an average of £300,169. However, this was less than half the house price growth (7.3 per cent) [...]