International trade secretary Liam Fox says up to 40 “continuity” trade deals will be in place by point of Brexit January 9, 2018 International trade minister Liam Fox has guaranteed that the UK will have deals in place with all its current trading partners by the point of Brexit. Fox made the claim as part of the government's efforts to have its Trade Bill pushed through parliament. The bill is one of nine new pieces of legislation that [...]
Cabinet reshuffle: Nothing has changed after the day of the blunt spoon January 8, 2018 It had been billed as a day in which Theresa May would settle some grievances, and more than a few ministers would end up licking their wounds. Up to a quarter of the Cabinet were expected to be culled in the first major reshuffle since the supposedly "bloody difficult woman" took the reins. But, as [...]
Britain is leading the charge for a greener, re-energised future January 4, 2018 Tackling climate change is one of the most critical issues the globe faces. Britain has always led the world in facing these challenges head on, and this is no exception. The UK was the first country to introduce legally binding domestic climate change targets; we were instrumental in securing the historic Paris Agreement; and since [...]
Editor’s Notes: Predictions are for fools, but here are a few to mull over, may the bitcoin ride continue in 2018 and the best statistic of the year December 22, 2017 Winston Churchill once said “I always avoid prophesying beforehand because it is much better to prophesy after the event has already taken place.” Wise words, which were roundly ignored at a City lunch this week where we went around the table to offer our predictions for 2018. Contributions ranged from the sensible to the more [...]
As 2017 ends, what is the state of the British Labour Party? December 21, 2017 I’ve spoken in the past about my longtime membership of the Labour Party and my admiration for Tony Blair’s government. And just as often I have expressed disappointment with Labour’s current direction and with its current leadership, who have tried to force an unworkable brand of politics onto the party. Why am I still [...]
The Electoral Commission has fined the Lib Dems and the Remain campaign over spending December 19, 2017 The Liberal Democrats and the official Remain campaign group have been slapped with fines over how they recorded their spending during the EU referendum. The Lib Dems were handed an £18,000 fine over a failure to deliver a complete and accurate spending return. The Electoral Commission, which handed out the fines, said in some cases [...]
Corbyn doesn’t want to replicate the City’s success – he wants to destroy it December 14, 2017 London is unique as a global centre. These words are spoken so often, both within the City and outside of it, that they have become a cliche. But no other world-leading nation has its political capital, its financial centre, and its cultural heart all in the same city. The sectors feed and support one another, [...]
Philip Hammond joins European finance ministers to call for a rethink of Trump’s proposed US tax reform December 11, 2017 Chancellor Philip Hammond has joined with his counterparts across Europe to urge US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin to rethink a proposed tax reform. In a letter addressed to Mnuchin, seen by City A.M., the finance ministers of the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain warned that the tax reform promised by President Donald [...]
Philip Hammond has failed to improve the Tory party’s chances of electoral survival November 24, 2017 This was an elastoplast Budget. Its purpose was to cover the deepening gash in the Conservative party, give Philip Hammond’s reputation time to heal, and keep out germs hurled by the opposition benches. In this regard, it mostly worked. Read more: The Budget was a valiant attempt at an impossible balancing act The £3bn worth [...]
Let’s ‘take back control’ of immigration – and increase it November 3, 2017 Does “taking back control” of our borders mean reducing immigration? That’s a question that hasn’t been asked much over the last 16 months, even as Leavers and Remainers have locked horns over a host of other Brexit-related issues. In fact, when it comes to migration there seems to be a disconnect between what the two [...]