The Green Investment Bank’s stalled sale risks red faces January 24, 2017 The sale of the Green Investment Bank (GIB) has stalled amid speculation that the government fears ending up with egg on its face from a botched privatisation. The GIB, set up by former business secretary Vince Cable to mobilise private sector capital into the renewables sector, is seeking a new owner to boost investment into [...]
Britain’s new industrial strategy must not drown out the voices of emerging sectors January 24, 2017 The government has published its long-awaited industrial strategy – its 10 point plan for building a robust economy in the face of economic change, increasing automation and the unknown impact of leaving the EU. Wrapped up in its 125 pages is a strong focus on innovation-led growth, including clarity on the £4.7bn of additional funding [...]
Is Donald Trump likely to be impeached in the next four years? January 24, 2017 Rachel Cunliffe, deputy editor of Reaction, says Yes. The new President begins his term facing a defamation lawsuit over his response to sexual misconduct allegations and an ongoing investigation into whether his team conspired with Russia to get him elected. And that’s not even the biggest sword dangling over Trump’s head ready to slash short [...]
US President Donald Trump gets to work with executive order to scrap Trans-Pacific Partnership and border tax threat January 24, 2017 Donald Trump kicked off his first week as President by signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, branding the move a “great thing for the American worker”. The departure from one of Obama’s signature policies comes after Trump pledged in his inauguration address to “put America first”. Though the deal [...]
The Supreme Court’s Article 50 verdict is unlikely to derail Theresa May’s Brexit timeline January 23, 2017 A landmark Supreme Court ruling tomorrow is unlikely to derail plans for Prime Minister Theresa May to begin Brexit talks before April – whatever the outcome. The 11 Supreme Court judges will deliver their verdict on whether May needs approval from parliament to trigger the UK's separation from the European Union. The government has been appealing a decision [...]
Xi Jinping and Donald Trump have fired the opening salvoes of the coming trade war January 23, 2017 It's only the first week of Donald Trump’s presidency, but the contrast between Trump’s “America First” protectionist rhetoric and other world leaders’ hopes of globalisation working for the many could not be starker. The Trump rally had already stalled before the 45th President began his inauguration speech, as investors sought more detail on his plans. Despite [...]
In full: GCHQ director Robert Hannigan’s resignation letter and foreign secretary Boris Johnson’s response January 23, 2017 Robert Hannigan has stepped down as director of GCHQ due to personal reasons, the spy agency confirmed today. Here's Hannigan's resignation letter in full: Dear Foreign Secretary, I have had the great privilege of leading the men and women of GCHQ since 2014. I am proud of what we have achieved in those years, not least setting [...]
GCHQ director Robert Hannigan has resigned for personal reasons January 23, 2017 GCHQ top boss Robert Hannigan has stepped down citing personal reasons, the surveillance agency has announced. Hannigan became GCHQ director in 2014. Prior to this, he was director general of defence and intelligence at the Foreign Office. In his resignation letter to foreign secretary Boris Johnson, he wrote that his public service roles "demanded a great deal of my ever patient [...]
Croydon MP launches bid to ban “unreasonable” Southern Rail strikes January 23, 2017 Southern Rail workers could be banned from launching strikes deemed to be "unreasonable" or "disproportionate" under new plans being introduced in parliament tomorrow by Croydon South MP Chris Philp. Philp will argue for restrictions on the ability for public sector workers to strike in the House of Commons tomorrow afternoon, in particular citing disruption caused by the ongoing dispute [...]
Why SMEs are so optimistic in the face of Brexit January 23, 2017 Now that Theresa May has set out her 12 priorities for Brexit, and with Article 50 set to be triggered within weeks, are the UK’s SMEs starting to feel any effects? We caught up with Peter Alderson, managing director of LDF, the UK’s largest independent finance provider to SMEs, to find out how his clients [...]