Ranked: The best and worst UK energy suppliers June 25, 2019 The head of Citizens Advice has called for stricter requirements on energy companies as “far too many” struggle to give their customers good service. Gillian Guy said that a large number of companies are letting their customers down, as the consumer champion released its quarterly rankings. Read more: Complaints surge as more energy customers have [...]
Kevin Hollinrake accuses Treasury officials of ‘coordinated skullduggery’ over conflict-of-interest claims June 24, 2019 A prominent Tory MP involved in efforts to help small businesses caught in lending disputes has accused Treasury officials of undertaking a campaign of “coordinated skullduggery” to discredit him. Kevin Hollinrake, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Fair Business Banking, said there had been a “deliberate and coordinated attempt” to undermine him over [...]
Jackpot deal: Eldorado snaps up Caesars in major casino purchase June 24, 2019 Gambling giants Eldorado Resort and Caesars Entertainment are hoping to win big after signing an $17bn (£13.6bn) merger that is expected to create the world’s largest casino operator. Eldorado has revealed plans today for a cash-and-stock deal to acquire Caesars, in a move that would see it run roughly 60 casino resorts and gaming facilities [...]
Raspberry Pi 4 promises full multimedia computer performance from £33 June 24, 2019 The fourth major version of the credit-card sized Raspberry Pi computer has promised to deliver desktop-computer-level performance from a starting price of £33. Raspberry Pi 4 will be sold in 1GB (£33), 2GB (£43) or 3GB (£53) models, and has a quad-core processor allowing it to operate two 4k resolution screens simultaneously, the company behind [...]
Democrat policy war escalates as Bernie Sanders proposes eradicating $1.6 trillion US student loan debt June 24, 2019 The burgeoning policy war between the candidates vying to face Trump in 2020 is set to escalate dramatically today, with Bernie Sanders announcing plans to eliminate all $1.6 trillion (£1.25 trillion) of student debt held in the US. Sanders, who is polling second to former vice-president Joe Biden in the race for the Democratic nomination, [...]
De La Rue clearout continues as two more directors step down June 24, 2019 The boardroom exodus at banknote printer De La Rue has accelerated, with two members announcing retirement plans today. Chair Philip Rogerson and senior independent director Andy Stevens will both leave the firm, which recently lost the contract to print British passports. “The chairman has indicated his intention to retire from the board as part of [...]
Former deputy PM John Prescott hospitalised after stroke June 24, 2019 John Prescott, the former deputy prime minister, has been admitted to hospital after he suffered a stroke. In a statement posted on his Twitter account, Lord Prescott’s family said the ex-MP was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary last Friday. The hospital said it would not be providing update on Prescott’s condition, in line with his [...]
H2O sells private bonds and cancels fund entry fees June 24, 2019 H2O, the UK-based asset management arm of Natixis, has sold some of its private bonds portfolio and cancelled entry fees to attract new investors to its funds. The firm cut non-rated private bonds to below two per cent of assets under management after struggling with outflows. Read more: H2O shrugs off conflict of interest concerns [...]
Martin Sorrell labels tech firms ‘frenemies’ as he lays out vision for S4 Capital expansion June 24, 2019 Sir Martin Sorrell chats to James Warrington in Cannes about S4 Capital, but can’t resist a dig at WPP SIR MARTIN is a busy man. So busy, in fact, that the only time he can carve out for an interview is 20 minutes in the back of his car, as his driver whisks him between [...]
Is honesty the best policy? Why brands should be open about their weaknesses June 24, 2019 Marketing can be complex, with so many sophisticated models, fancy processes, long words, plus various funnels, pyramids, and flow diagrams to help make people look clever. And the growing importance of data has added complexity to the way in which we plan the strategies behind advertising campaigns. But as the legendary ad man Bill Bernbach [...]