Conservatives keep a firm hold in the Sleaford by-election as Labour says: “This was not the result we hoped for” December 9, 2016 Well, this is awkward. The Conservatives have kept their grip on the Lincolnshire seat of Sleaford and North Hykeham, after the constituency's original MP resigned over "irreconcilable policy differences". Caroline Johnson held on to the seat for the party, with more than 53 per cent of the vote, while Ukip came second, with 13.5 per [...]
Revenge of the inflationistas: Trump has ushered in the end of the QE era December 9, 2016 After almost a decade of QE and loose monetary policy, inflation is nowhere to be seen in the developed world. Warning of upside risk in consumer prices has become something akin to crying wolf. But Donald Trump’s proposed fiscal measures could prove the missing piece of the global inflationary puzzle. As a result, inflation is [...]
Businesses can no longer opt out of the conservative-liberal left culture wars December 9, 2016 Culture wars are raging in Britain and America and businesses are stuck uncomfortably in the middle. Executives have just witnessed many of their customers vote to leave the EU and reject large-scale immigration. They have witnessed a victory for Donald Trump. But they are also hearing a loud liberal backlash against both – amid concern [...]
Britain must look beyond trade deals to turbocharge exports December 9, 2016 In 1860, the Cobden-Chevalier Treaty, widely regarded as the first international trade agreement, was signed at the Foreign Office. French duties on British manufactured goods were slashed and, in return, British duties on French wine and brandy were cut, ushering in three decades of expanding trade – and, presumably, considerable joie de vivre in Britain’s [...]
Is everyone too complacent about Marine Le Pen’s chances of becoming the next President of France? December 9, 2016 Chris Beauchamp, senior market analyst at IG Group, says Yes. It feels like deja vu all over again. A year ago, the established punditry found themselves declaring, with immense confidence, why Brexit would never happen and why Donald Trump was doomed to fail in his candidacy. Now we hear the same about Marine Le Pen, [...]
The Northern powerhouse plans must include rural Brexit voters a think tank will today warn December 9, 2016 Efforts to boost the economy of the North must include rural areas that voted leave in last summer's referendum, an influential think tank will today warn. Theresa May's government has stressed its commitment to regional devolution, and although doubts have emerged about her support for the North in particular, IPPR North has called on the [...]
Public funds committed to infrastructure and construction have increased by £40bn since March December 8, 2016 The total amount of public money locked in to infrastructure and public construction projects has leapt by almost £40bn, or eight per cent, in the last six months. Figures from KPMG show that the total value of a combined government infrastructure and construction pipeline is now £502.3bn, up from £463.4bn in March. 60 per cent [...]
Yesterday’s Article 50 motion legally important but not that important, top court reminds December 8, 2016 Yesterday's parliamentary vote to stick to the March 2017 deadline for triggering Article 50 carries little legal clout, lawyers in the country's top court stated today. On the final day of the Article 50 appeal to the Supreme Court, James Eadie, one of government's lawyers, presented the 11 Supreme Court justices with a copy of the motion and [...]
George Osborne has made a cool £500k on the speaker’s circuit December 8, 2016 Before the Brexit vote, George Osborne was leading the Treasury's warnings of an imminent economic collapse if the UK voted to leave. That hasn't quite come to pass, and one beneficiary of that is the former chancellor himself. Figures revealed this week show Osborne has now earned more than £500,000 from making speeches since getting unceremoniously [...]
Will Boris Johnson’s Saudi comments hurt the UK’s Gulf trade charm offensive? December 8, 2016 Foreign secretary Boris Johnson's attack on Saudi Arabia runs the risk of harming UK efforts to build trading relations with Gulf states, experts say. In remarks reported earlier this week, Johnson accused the Saudi regime of “twisting” Islam for political ends, fighting “proxy wars” in the region with Iran. Downing Street this morning issued a [...]