Chancellor’s Budget on 11 March – to tax or not to tax January 17, 2020 | City Talk Having inadvertently set a record by having a year without a Budget, the first time this has happened since the introduction of income tax, the Chancellor’s choice of Wednesday 11 March, rather than “February” as stated in the election campaign, gives the busy Treasury a little more time to work up the ideas that were [...]
Brexit will not affect holidays to the EU, says travel industry January 17, 2020 The UK’s travel industry body has stressed “nothing will change” for British tourists booking holidays to the EU until the end of 2020. ABTA, which represents thousands of travel firms, discovered that one-third of Brits are unsure about the impact of Brexit on their travel plans. So it has updated its advice on how Brexit [...]
Khamenei says Iran missile strikes were ‘slap in face’ for US January 17, 2020 Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a Friday prayers sermon today that Iran’s missile strikes on US military bases in Iraq were a “slap in the face” to the superpower. Khamanei, giving his first sermon since 2012, added that the country would not bend to pressure despite the US imposing sanctions in the [...]
Brexiters raise £150,000 for Big Ben Brexit bongs – but it could all be for nothing January 17, 2020 Brexiters have funnelled over £150,000 into a fundraising campaign to ring Big Ben to mark Brexit Day on 31 January – but the cash could not be enough, the Prime Minister has warned. The “Big Ben must bong for Brexit” campaign, set up by Stand Up 4 Brexit, is seeking to raise the £500,000 required [...]
Sadiq Khan warns against Westminster ‘anti-London agenda’ January 17, 2020 Sadiq Khan urged Labour and the Conservatives to ditch their “anti-London agenda” in a speech to City grandees last night. The speech, at the City of London Corporation’s London government dinner, hit out at Boris Johnson’s plans for “re-balancing spending away from London and towards other parts of the country”. However, the Tories weren’t the [...]
Flybe or not to Flybe? This bailout flies in the face of market economics January 17, 2020 The philosophy of the market is based on the idea that the key to a prosperous economy is competition. Fair and vibrant competition, the argument goes, spurs businesses to improve quality and reduce prices, benefiting consumers and fuelling economic growth. Companies that struggle should be allowed to fail, making room for more agile or innovative [...]
DEBATE: Should Big Ben bong on 31 January to mark Britain’s exit from the EU? January 17, 2020 Should Big Ben bong on 31 January to mark Britain’s exit from the EU? Alex Deane, a Conservative commentator, says YES. Whether a bell rings at a certain time is a trivial thing. But it is symbolic, and symbols matter — to people, and to nations. Stymieing the ringing of a bell that rang two [...]
Ukraine opens investigation into alleged surveillance of US ambassador January 16, 2020 Ukraine has said it will open a criminal investigation into allegations that the former US ambassador to Ukraine was put under surveillance by people working for President Donald Trump. In a statement today the Ministry of Internal Affairs said it was aware of materials published by investigators “related to possible illegal surveillance on the former [...]
BoE governor Mark Carney to advise PM on climate change January 16, 2020 Outgoing Bank of England governor Mark Carney is to be a key adviser to the government in the run-up to the UN climate change conference, COP26. Boris Johnson confirmed Carney in the role during a meeting at Number 10 today. The Canadian economist will help the UK government to “mobilise ambitious action from across the [...]
Downing Street pulls back from Big Ben bongs campaign January 16, 2020 Downing Street pulled further back from the “Big Ben bongs” campaign, as Brexiters plough cash into a crowdfunder to raise half a million pounds. The Prime Minister’s spokesman gave the clearest signal yet that the iconic bells would not chime on 31 January even if the £500,000 is raised. Although he stopped short of suggesting [...]