UK approves £4bn sale of defence firm Cobham December 21, 2019 The government has agreed to allow US private equity firm Advent International to takeover the UK’s defence and aerospace company. Advent made a £4bn offer to buy Cobham earlier this year and the deal was accepted by shareholders last month. However the government held a consultation on the sale after the founding family raised possible [...]
US diplomat’s wife Anne Sacoolas charged over the death of Harry Dunn December 20, 2019 Anne Sacoolas has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving over the death of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn, who died in a road crash in Northamptonshire in August. Sacoolas, the wife of a US intelligence officer based at the nearby RAF Croughton base, left the country for the US shortly afterwards, claiming diplomatic immunity. [...]
Brexit bill: MPs back Boris Johnson’s EU withdrawal agreement December 20, 2019 MPs have voted in favour of Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill during today’s second reading in the House of Commons. It paves the way for the UK to leave the European Union by 31 January. Read more: Downing Street defends Zac Goldsmith peerage and cabinet role It was voted for by 358 MPs, while 234 voted [...]
Labour to vote against Brexit bill in second reading but some MPs could rebel December 20, 2019 Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed that Labour MPs will vote against Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill today. The Labour leader launched an attack on the Prime Minister’s deal, which is likely to pass regardless by virtue of the Conservative’s 80-seat majority. “We remain certain there is a better and fairer way for this country to leave the [...]
Downing Street defends Zac Goldsmith peerage and cabinet role December 20, 2019 No10 has defended the decision to appoint ousted Tory MP Zac Goldsmith to the House of Lords. Goldsmith lost his seat in Richmond Park to the Liberal Democrats in last week’s general election but has been made a peer in order to keep hold of his role as environment minister. Read more: Brexit bill: MPs [...]
What does the Conservatives’ victory mean for the UK economy and markets? December 20, 2019 | City Talk The large majority for Boris Johnson’s Conservative party sees the pound and UK shares react positively, as investors welcome greater clarity on the policy backdrop. The pound climbs against other major currencies and stock markets gain as the scale of the Conservative win removes policy uncertainty. Within UK equities, companies whose operations focus on the [...]
FCA head Andrew Bailey confirmed as next Bank of England governor December 20, 2019 Andrew Bailey has been named as the new Bank of England (BoE) governor by chancellor Sajid Javid. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) boss will be responsible for steering the world’s fifth largest economy through Brexit and a troubled global macroeconomic climate. Read more: Bank of England refers hedge fund eavesdropping to regulator Announcing Bailey’s appointment, [...]
Brexit bill: MPs to vote on Boris Johnson’s deal in second reading December 20, 2019 MPs will today vote on Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill just more than a month before 31 January deadline. The withdrawal bill was first introduced to the House of Commons in October and will have its second reading today. Read more: CBI welcomes Prime Minister’s Brexit trade deal deadline MPs will have a chance to debate [...]
DEBATE: Will we see as much seismic political change in 2020 as we did this year? December 20, 2019 Will we see as much seismic political change in 2020 as we did this year? Nicholas Mazzei, a corporate social responsibility adviser, says YES. Despite the vast amount of news we’ve consumed on Brexit and British politics since the EU referendum, very little has actually happened policy-wise. Do not expect more of this in 2020. [...]
Muggings and robberies have shot up in London since 2015 December 19, 2019 The amount of muggings and pickpocketing in London has risen by 56 per cent in the past three years. Figures from the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime dashboard show there were 53,966 reported incidents of “theft from person” between August 2018 and September 2019. Read more: TfL: Crime rates on [...]