Government will let homeowners add two storey extensions with planning reforms to ease housing crisis February 4, 2018 The government has said it will loosen planning rules in a bid to ease the housing crisis, with homeowners being given permission to build upwards. "The answer to building new homes isn’t always an empty plot, or developing on a derelict site," said housing secretary Sajid Javid. Read more: These are the UK's 20 least [...]
Editor’s Notes: The City has its Brexit optimists – are they complacent or correct? February 2, 2018 This week I attended a small dinner at which some of the most significant financial institutions in the City were represented. Over the course of the evening, and to my surprise, it became clear that all but one of the 12 guests was an enthusiastic Brexiteer. Many of them worked at companies whose public interventions [...]
Here’s how much Jeremy Corbyn earned last year February 2, 2018 Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell have published their tax returns once again, saying the public won't trust them unless they are open about their tax affairs. Corbyn's take-home pay, which includes his salary, his pay as leader and his pension, came to £136,762. He has no second job, and holds no stocks or shares, and [...]
Lord Hill: Government should prioritise growth over continuity with EU after Brexit – it cannot have both January 30, 2018 Former EU Commissioner Lord Hill has told the government it is "going to have to choose" whether it wants continuity or competitiveness after Brexit – and suggested it should plump for the latter. Hill, who was the commissioner for financial stability, financial services and capital markets union for two years until the referendum, told the [...]
Conservative activists “spitting bullets” over Theresa May’s leadership January 30, 2018 Grassroots Tory activists are "spitting bullets" about Theresa May's handling of the government, the latest faction of the party to rebel over her weak leadership. One MP said May was seen as "speaking from both sides of her mouth", adding that angered party members were starting to "put pressure" on MPs to challenge the Prime [...]
Theresa May clinging onto power as Tories liken party to Italian Job cliff edge scene January 25, 2018 Tory MPs have likened the party to the infamous cliff-edge scene at the end of The Italian Job, warning that if a leadership challenge is mounted against Theresa May it could leave the Conservatives in free-fall. Three former ministers spoken to by City A.M. said the Prime Minister would be able to keep clinging onto [...]
Editor’s Notes: Theresa May can benefit from taking on Corbyn’s anti-business agenda, Trump’s thumbs up to data and the ONS’ telecoms glitch January 19, 2018 Theresa May has never been an enthusiastic defender of free-market capitalism, much to the frustration of many in business. However, to give credit where it’s due, the PM pushed back quite hard against Jeremy Corbyn’s latest assault on private business, which was sparked by the collapse of Carillion. After the Labour leader stumbled his way [...]
Trump’s migration slur displays disturbing economic ineptitude January 19, 2018 Immigrants from “shithole countries” are not welcome in the US. That was reportedly President Donald Trump’s verdict at a meeting last week on migration policy. The subsequent outrage has centred around the obscene, and downright racist, language allegedly used to describe Haiti, El Salvador, and certain African nations (which the President has since denied). Read [...]
Bookies have slashed the odds of another Brexit referendum after Nigel Farage’s comments January 11, 2018 Bookies have slashed the odds of a second EU membership referendum after comments by former Ukip leader Nigel Farage. Appearing on Channel 5's The Wright Stuff this morning, Farage said his mind was "actually changing" about whether the UK should have a second Brexit referendum. "If we had a second referendum on EU membership we [...]
Exclusive: John Glen to be named new City minister in Theresa May’s reshuffle January 9, 2018 Salisbury MP John Glen is to be named the new City minister, as Theresa May's reshuffle concludes, City A.M. has learned. Glen, who will have responsibility for Brexit, takes the reins from Steve Barclay at a critical point in the withdrawal process. He is the 11th economic secretary to the Treasury in the last decade, [...]