Provident Financial’s exexcutive chairman Manjit Wolstenholme has died aged 53 November 24, 2017 Provident Financial has announced this morning that its executive chairman Manjit Wolstenholme passed away yesterday. In a statement this morning, the company said Wolstenholme had passed away suddenly, aged 53, on Thursday 23 November. In a statement this morning, Malcolm Le May, senior independent director, said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened. The thoughts of [...]
What will innovation look like in 2018? Bird & Bird’s Digital Innovators tell us all about the year ahead November 24, 2017 In a year when quantum computing made major leaps forward and using your face as a password became a reality, you’d be forgiven for being hard pushed to imagine just how much further technology can take us. But 2018 will certainly be a year for driving even more innovation for the 50 up-and-coming companies chosen [...]
Digital challenger bank Revolut just sailed past one million customers November 24, 2017 Challenger bank Revolut has notched up more than one million customers, charging past the mark after less than three years in business. Between them, they have made more than 42m transactions worth $6.1bn while it has said that it’s signing up between 3,000 and 3,500 new users per day. Read more: Digital challenger Atom Bank [...]
DEBATE: Was the chancellor right to impose a tax hike on new diesel cars in this week’s Budget? November 24, 2017 DEBATE: Was the chancellor right to impose a tax hike on new diesel cars in this week’s Budget? YES – Greg Jackson, founder of challenger energy firm Octopus Energy. Deaths from air pollution are a national scandal. Imagine the outcry if, every year, 40,000 people in the UK died early from polluted water. That is [...]
IEA: Break Brexit impasse with partial divorce bill offer – but make sure conditions are attached to the full settlement November 24, 2017 The UK should make a partial offer on the Brexit divorce bill to make sufficient progress, but withhold the final amount until a trade deal has been agreed, a new report claims. The Cabinet is understood to have discussed making an offer of £40bn as pressure piles on Theresa May and David Davis to break [...]
Michel Barnier accused of “backtracking” after Brexit divorce bill ultimatum climbdown November 24, 2017 The EU’s chief negotiator has been accused of “backtracking” over threats to block trade talks unless the UK put forward its divorce bill offer by today (24 November). A fortnight ago, after yet another formal round of talks ended without progress, Michel Barnier told reporters the UK had two weeks to give “clarity” on the [...]
Gloomy UK consumers see confidence at the lowest level since Brexit referendum aftermath November 24, 2017 Confidence among British consumers fell sharply to its lowest level since the aftermath of the Brexit vote in November amid a worsening outlook for household finances and nerves around the housing market after interest rates rose. The consumer confidence measure published today by Yougov and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) will show [...]
Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party isn’t fit for opposition, let alone government November 24, 2017 As Westminster digested Wednesday’s budget, shadow chancellor John McDonnell was asked nine times how much Labour’s own plans for extra borrowing would cost. Nine times, he refused to answer, calling the BBC’s questions “a trite form of journalism”. Other excuses included the lines “we are talking about it paying for itself” and, when pushed on [...]
EU authorities consider creating data breach justice league to tackle uber hack November 23, 2017 Multiple investigations prompted by Uber’s admission that it concealed a hack could join together for one big mega-probe into the incident. An EU working group which has responsibility for data protection will decide next week whether to co-ordinate different investigations taking place in the UK, Italy, Austria, Poland and the Netherlands. Read more: The massive [...]
Angry Birds maker Rovio investment in top games weighs on profits November 23, 2017 Angry Birds maker Rovio’s shares took a battering today as it reported a loss in its maiden results as a public company. The figures Loss before tax was €500,000 (£445,000) for the three months to September, compared with €4.6m profit last year. This was despite an increase in sales to €70.7m, up from €50m. The [...]