Greybull or grey clouds? Why these are temporary solutions to structural problems in UK steel April 12, 2016 Tata Steel's decision to sell the firm's UK steel assets follows the wider divestment and mothballing trend playing out in the country's steel sector. Most recently, Tata Steel put the firm's Port Talbot and Scunthorpe mills up for sale, following a suit of competitors in the UK market, such as Sahaviriya Steel Industries and Caparo. [...]
Westminster stage descends into farce April 12, 2016 They say politics is show business for ugly people, in which case the current production in Westminster is most certainly a farce. Indeed, it could even be a pantomime. The central villain is the Prime Minister – dubbed “Dodgy Dave” by left-wing bore, Dennis Skinner MP. (The old socialist was kicked out of the Commons by Speaker [...]
Almost everything the Left tells you about inequality is wrong April 12, 2016 "A lie repeated often enough becomes the truth.” This quotation has been attributed to a whole range of undesirable people, from Goebbels to Lenin. But in the case of the discussion of income inequality, it is a pretty good summation of the state of public debate. At the weekend, the left-wing firebrand Polly Toynbee lamented the [...]
Sadiq Khan’s unfunded fares freeze would starve London transport of investment: Only Zac Goldsmith can be trusted with the Tube April 12, 2016 When Londoners go to the polls on 5 May, they’ll be deciding who should run one of the biggest and most complex transport systems in the world. Over half of all bus journeys in England happen in the capital. The Tube handles 1.3bn journeys a year, which is like everyone in China taking one journey [...]
David Cameron has set a dangerous precedent by opening up his tax returns to public scrutiny: Business, liberty and civility will all suffer April 12, 2016 The Prime Minister’s decision to open his tax returns to public scrutiny, while understandable, sets a precedent we may come to regret. However entertaining it is to see our leaders squirm under the searchlight, it’s a shallow pleasure. Longer-term consequences could include a further increase in the power of the state, reduced individual liberties, poorer [...]
As the row continues over David Cameron’s inheritance, should we abolish inheritance tax in its entirety? April 12, 2016 Dia Chakravarty, political director at TaxPayers’ Alliance, says Yes. Inheritance tax (IHT) is the most hated tax in the UK, even among socio-economic groups unlikely to ever be liable to pay it. It goes against the most basic human instinct – to want to pass something on to one’s children – and has been abolished in [...]
Beware fintech’s pivot to China April 12, 2016 Ever since former Barclays chief executive Antony Jenkins declared an ”Uber moment” for banks, the powers that be from the Square Mile to Canary Wharf have rushed to defend themselves against a herd of ambitious fintech unicorns. But if recent collaborations between financial titans and spritely startups are anything to go by, it appears the [...]
Labour is determined to keep pressure on David Cameron over Panama Papers and tax revelations April 11, 2016 Things go from bad to worse for David Cameron. Downing Street spent much of last week avoiding questions over the PM’s connections to offshore funds, before having to concede that he did, in fact, once own shares in his late father’s offshore trust, Blairmore Holdings. Cameron’s critics often reduce his professional experience to having been “a [...]
Panama Papers: Labour is determined to keep pressure on David Cameron – but it’s a deeply cynical move April 11, 2016 Things go from bad to worse for David Cameron. Downing Street spent much of last week avoiding questions over the PM’s connections to offshore funds, before having to concede that he did, in fact, once own shares in his late father’s offshore trust, Blairmore Holdings. Cameron’s critics often reduce his professional experience to having been “a [...]
Why investors shouldn’t ignore the hype about fintech April 11, 2016 Many investors (business angels, venture capital and private equity funds as well as family offices) are participating in fintech, and recognise value creation truly reflective of a “fourth industrial revolution”. However, others are somewhat sceptical and concerned about froth and hype. Either way, what’s interesting is that even the most sceptical aren’t willing to bet [...]