What entrepreneurs want Philip Hammond to announce in the Autumn Budget October 25, 2018 At the Conservative party conference earlier this month, chancellor Philip Hammond announced £20m of investment in business networks “to enable small businesses to learn from each other and from world-leading firms”. He also recognised the need for mentoring and management training for small and medium-sized enterprises, pledging another £11m to help 10,000 businesses by 2025, [...]
Calls for a second referendum are unwise, undemocratic, and playing with dynamite October 25, 2018 “I want to be absolutely clear, this government will never accept a second referendum.” This statement from the Prime Minister in September should have been the end of the matter. Alas, it wasn’t. The so-called “people’s vote” scenario runs something like this. Enough Conservative MPs vote with Labour against any final EU agreement, defeating it [...]
DEBATE: Has the EU overstepped the mark by rejecting Italy’s budget? October 25, 2018 Has the EU overstepped the mark by rejecting Italy’s budget? Matthew Elliott, senior political adviser to Shore Capital, says YES. From the moment Britain’s Brexit referendum was announced in 2013, the EU started to moderate its most overt interventionist instincts, minimising Eurozone problems through quantitative easing, and restricting its tendency to meddle in the affairs [...]
Theresa May does little to reassure her Brexit critics at crunch backbenchers meeting October 24, 2018 Theresa May faced down her fractious party this evening but offered no new reassurances to the many critics of her beleaguered Brexit policy. The Prime Minister spoke to a meeting of backbench Conservative MPs – known as the 1922 committee – for just under an hour in a bid to win support for her negotiating stance with the [...]
Straws and cotton buds out as officials warn ocean plastic could outnumber fish October 24, 2018 Plastic straws and cotton buds will be banned under proposals approved by the European Parliament earlier today. The rules, designed to reduce ocean pollution, would ban ten single-use products with readily available alternatives by 2021. Read more: Here's how we tackle the biggest source of microplastic pollution The list includes polystyrene fast-food containers and products [...]
Civil service boss steps down over ill health following cancer diagnosis October 24, 2018 Head of the civil service Sir Jeremy Heywood has stepped down from the role over ill health after being diagnosed with cancer last year, the Cabinet Office announced today. National security advisor Sir Mark Sedwill, who has been acting cabinet secretary since Heywood took a leave of absence in June, will take on the role [...]
Dominic Raab accused of ‘unacceptable’ behaviour for dodging parliament Brexit committee October 24, 2018 Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has been accused of keeping parliament in the dark by refusing to give evidence to a committee on the UK’s negotiations with Brussels. Raab told the Lords committee on the EU on Tuesday he would not be able to appear before them until after the Brexit deal has been finalised. Lord [...]
Pound sinks to six-week low as Theresa May prepares to meet 1922 Committee October 24, 2018 The pound has fallen to a six-week low as Theresa May prepares to meet rebellious Conservative MPs amid fears of a no confidence vote. Sterling fell 0.6 per cent on Wednesday hitting $1.2902 – the lowest level since the beginning of September. The Prime Minister will face down critics from her own party when she [...]
We owe it to our City to take a stand against homelessness October 24, 2018 For the past six months, my daily entry to work has involved passing a young man who is rapidly decaying beside my office. I have seen his decline from reasonable togetherness to life in his own ordure. This, bear in mind, was through the warm summer months. As winter is coming and the weather starts [...]
This Budget, I’m dreaming of a tax system fit for the future October 24, 2018 The announcement that the Autumn Budget would take place in October – almost a month earlier than we’ve become accustomed to – surprised a fair few people. It probably shouldn’t have. Philip Hammond understandably wants his finance bill passed safely through the Commons without it getting caught in the crosshairs of ongoing Brexit negotiations and the [...]