Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct needs a solid gameplan to rise from the ashes September 14, 2016 Sports Direct is back in the news, this time for what should be more positive reasons than their other recent appearances. We have covered how consumer perception of the brand has fallen over the past year as investigations uncovered damaging practices within the organisation. This culminated in owner Mike Ashley’s appearance in front of a select [...]
The Uber vs black cabs row proves one thing – driverless cars are the future September 14, 2016 Having digested Sadiq Khan’s 27-point plan to meddle in the taxi and private hire market, one top Uber official yesterday moaned “so much for being the most pro-business mayor in London’s history”. Uber’s frustration is understandable. Not only is the firm already battling Transport for London over proposed regulatory changes (some of which are just [...]
Former Boris Johnson economic adviser condemns economists’ Brexit consensus – but backs Bank of England and Mark Carney September 13, 2016 Boris Johnson’s former chief economic adviser says recent economic data proves that most economists were wrong about Brexit. Gerard Lyons, who like the former London mayor backed the Brexit campaign, said this was part of a “long tradition”, pointing to experts’ failure to predict the financial crisis. However, in an interview with City A.M., Lyons [...]
From City Hall to wealth management startup: Meet Boris Johnson’s ex-economic adviser, Gerard Lyons September 13, 2016 Not many wealth management firms can boast a chief economic strategist with the CV and public profile of Gerard Lyons. Formerly of Standard Chartered and Swiss Bank, Lyons joined the launch team of Netwealth this summer after a lengthy stint as London mayor Boris Johnson’s chief economic adviser. Bearing in mind Johnson’s high-profile support of [...]
Christine Lagarde and Mario Draghi call on politicians to do more to help the losers of globalisation September 13, 2016 Two of the planet’s most important policymakers have criticised the response of governments around the world to growing concerns over globalisation, inequality and technological change. Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank (ECB) said governments and institutions needed to make sure their policies did [...]
The trouble with statistics: The same flaws afflict economic data as political opinion polls September 13, 2016 Who will win the US presidency? Opinion polls have got a bad name in Britain, at least. During the 2010 general election campaign, many suggested that Gordon Brown could still continue in power in a minority government or coalition. The polling record in the 2015 campaign was even worse. Most polls showed the two main [...]
UK ports form alliance in bid to create “gateway to a global North” September 13, 2016 The North of England's four main ports agreed a new partnership in parliament today, as they said £1bn of government funding could help create a "gateway to a global North". The Northern Ports Association — which will include Liverpool, Hull & Humber, Tees Valley and Tyne — will aim to create jobs, make importing and exporting easier and create prosperity [...]
David Davis puts the government on collision course with the House of Lords over Brexit approval September 13, 2016 Brexit secretary David Davis has put the government on collision course with the House of Lords after slapping down demands from a committee of peers for a parliamentary vote on Brexit. The House of Lords constitutional committee today warned that the government should not trigger Britain's departure from the EU without “explicit parliamentary approval”. The Lords [...]
Former EU president Jose Manuel Barroso turns on Brussels over Goldman Sachs job September 13, 2016 Former European President Jose Manuel Barroso has issued a blistering attack on EU leaders and institutions over their attempts to frustrate his plans to take up a new role with Goldman Sachs. In a strongly worded letter sent to his successor, Jean-Claude Juncker, today, Barroso stated: "It has been claimed that the mere fact of working [...]
The government is set to rule out an ambitious plan to protect Tata’s steel pensioners with legal reforms September 13, 2016 The government is inching away from Tata Steel's preferred plans for dealing with its £15bn pension scheme. The Department for Work and Pensions closed a consultation into the future of the British Steel Pensions Scheme in late June, and both Tata and trustees have been pushing for the scheme to be hived off. The scheme [...]