The real story on small business lending isn’t restricted to RBS alone November 25, 2013 RBS IS again under fire – this time over a series of reports into its behaviour towards small business lending. But while accusations by entrepreneur Lawrence Tomlinson took all the headlines yesterday (notably his allegation that RBS put viable firms into default to make a profit), a second report by former Bank of England deputy [...]
Letters to the Editor – 26/11 – Lobbying airports, State banking, Best of Twitter November 25, 2013 Lobbying airports [Re: Why low cost carriers and hub buster planes make Gatwick the UK’s future, yesterday] The main problem with Stewart Wingate’s argument is his approach to state planning: “Out to the 2040s, there is only enough demand for one new runway.” But in the case of London’s airports, there is no good reason why Gatwick [...]
Why low cost carriers and hub buster planes make Gatwick the UK’s future November 24, 2013 NEXT month, we effectively reach the halfway point in the debate about what extra aviation capacity the UK needs, and where it should happen. The Airports Commission, led by Sir Howard Davies, will set out its shortlist. This is an issue the UK has grappled with since the end of the Second World War, and the [...]
City Matters: The City and capitalism must adapt to the challenges of a fast-changing world November 24, 2013 IN RECENT years, London’s business community has been forced to face up to a number of challenges to the status quo. The changes the industry has gone through since have been substantial and not always pleasant. But one positive that has come out of this is an increased focus on a more sustainable form of [...]
Unsecured debt is rising: Students could face the long-term consequences November 24, 2013 AS THE UK economy recovers, some have begun to fear an emerging unsecured credit boom. Total unsecured borrowing has indeed risen by 4 per cent in 2013 to £216bn, the first increase since the financial crisis. But this is not the full story. Our analysis shows that almost all the £8.5bn increase is made up [...]
Letters to the Editor – 25/11 – Broken promises, Party change, Best of Twitter November 24, 2013 Broken promises [Re: Osborne’s budget deficit is going down but progress is slow, Friday] Thank you for reminding the chancellor about his pledge to increase the inheritance tax threshold. This (so far) broken promise leaves a bitter taste for self-reliant people who want their children and grandchildren to have a better standard of life. The [...]
Three steps David Cameron can take to end our dysfunctional green farce November 21, 2013 THERE is some controversy over whether David Cameron actually told his team they need to “get rid of all the green c**p”. But while Downing Street has denied it, there is little doubt that some ministers are realising they need to do something about the punishing costs of their current energy policies. They are right [...]
The Long View: Bob Dylan and the selfie: The world’s now a stage and we’re all performing November 21, 2013 MY SMARTPHONE has a feature I can’t ever imagine using – it promises to insert my live picture into any snapshot I take by turning on both front and rearfacing cameras at once. But I’m clearly behind the times. Even as I cling to my old-fashioned desire to take photographs of the things that I [...]
The 24 hour Tube is a triumph for London – but we can go further November 21, 2013 IN AN open letter to passengers, the mayor and Transport for London have committed themselves to a 24 hour Tube. It’s an exciting announcement, and will undoubtedly deliver a boost to London’s £8bn a year dining and entertainment industry. But there are wider implications for the capital. For decades, the Underground has run New Year’s [...]
Letters to the Editor – 22/11 – Picking winners, Board quotas, Best of Twitter November 21, 2013 Picking winners [Re: Government helped get my business going – now it’s boosting startups again, Wednesday] Grant Shapps praises government startup loans. You might wonder what some other taxpayer could have done had the money been left in their hands. Started their own business? Government should not be picking winners, risking taxpayer money on enterprises [...]