Ukip 2014: The best gaffes, resignations and controversies December 19, 2014 It's been a bumper year for the "people's army", storming to victory in the European elections and capturing its first seats in Westminster. UK politics appears to be in a state of flux with a split on the right and neither of the major parties able to muster over 35 per cent of the vote. [...]
Carillion poised to win £100m Kings Cross contract December 19, 2014 Construction group Carillion is the preferred bidder to win a lucrative contract to produce three “prestigious” buildings as part of the Kings Cross regeneration. The business, which earlier this year attempted a £3bn merger with competitor Balfour Beatty – looks set to pick up the £100m contract, which involves the design and construction of [...]
Putin and the rouble: EU leaders stick to their guns over sanctions December 19, 2014 Even as the rouble continues its inexorable decline, hand in hand with global oil prices, EU leaders are refusing to budge over sanctions on Russia. At a summit meeting in Brussels all the talk was of “stay[ing] the course” and taking “further steps if necessary,” not relaxing the sanctions swaddling the Russian economy. Chief among [...]
David Cameron: We need to “bust some myths” on TTIP and the NHS December 19, 2014 The government is poised to go on a PR campaign to win over critics of the transatlantic trade and investment partnership, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying advocates should “bust some myths” surrounding it. TTIP has courted controversy, with supporters saying it will cut barriers and boost the UK economy by as much as [...]
Female soldiers could join front-line combat by 2016 December 19, 2014 The ban on women engaging in front-line combat could be lifted by 2016. A review of the ban carried out by the army decided that a lifting of the ban would not have a negative effect on the efficiency of front-line units. Under current rules, women can serve on the frontline but are not allowed [...]
Sony hack now a “serious national security matter” December 19, 2014 The Cyber attack on Sony is a “serious national security matter”, according to the White House. The US’s top brass is now working out how to respond to threats and coercion that have led to blockbuster The Interview, which was stars Seth Rogen and James Franco, being cancelled in fear at cinemas across the United States. [...]
Should Arsenal and Chelsea fans be worried by Usmanov and Abramovich’s £803m loss? December 19, 2014 It’s not often you find London football fans taking an interest in the Russian stock market. But such is the nature of modern football, that the fortunes of two billionaires' assets on the spiralling Russian stock market was reported in relation to the fortunes of two of the capital’s biggest clubs. As the [...]
Mike Ashley’s influence at Rangers grows as Derek Llambias appointed chief executive December 19, 2014 Just days after the Scottish Football Association served Rangers with complaints over Mike Ashley’s influence at the club, Derek Llambias, a long-standing acquaintance of the Newcastle United owner, has been appointed chief executive. Why it’s interesting Mike Ashley, the reviled owner of Newcastle United, has an agreement with the Scottish Football Association not to increase [...]
Serco in the clear: City of London Police find no evidence of any “corporate-wide conspiracy” December 19, 2014 Outsourcing firm Serco has finally received some good news after a disastrous year. After being asked last year to conduct an investigation into whether Serco staff had been misleadingly recording prisoners as ready for court when they were not, the Crown Prosecution Service has accepted the view of the City of London Police and put [...]
Markets cheer on Santa Rally December 18, 2014 Global stock markets shot up yesterday, eating into recent losses and giving investors hope of a traditional end-of-year Santa Rally. Shares across Europe soared to their biggest one-day gain in over three years, while across the pond the S&P also recorded its biggest two-day advance since November 2011. “We’re now well set up for the [...]