Leave the buy to let market alone, Britain needs more landlords September 6, 2016 Twenty years since buy to let took off, landlords are now a crucial part of Britain’s housing ecosystem. The private rented sector, accounting for around one in five properties, provides much-needed homes for those people who are not ready to buy or do not want to purchase a property. However, the sector sometimes comes in for stick, [...]
The Department for Education is facing questions over the merits of a drive to establish apprenticeship standards September 6, 2016 The government is facing doubts over its plans for apprenticeships, after the National Audit Office (NAO) raised questions on how the economy will gain from boosted numbers. In a report issued today, the NAO said the Department for Education has yet to reveal how it expects increased numbers of apprenticeships to boost productivity, or how [...]
Lloyd’s chair John Nelson has issued a warning to Theresa May, demanding a cohesive government approach to Brexit September 5, 2016 The chairman of Lloyd's of London has issued a warning to Theresa May over Brexit, demanding a cohesive government approach. Speaking at the Lloyd's City Dinner tonight, John Nelson said: "If we are not able to access the single market, either through passporting rights or other means, the inevitable consequences for Lloyd's – and indeed other [...]
David Davis will invite City officials to weigh in on Brexit next month as part of plans to build a national consensus September 5, 2016 Brexit secretary David Davis has pledged to hold a raft of roundtables for business ahead of negotiations to leave the EU, and is set to kick off by inviting the City for discussions next month. Making a ministerial statement in parliament earlier today, Davis again reiterated Prime Minister Theresa May's decision that the UK will [...]
Japan’s ambassador to the UK has warned “all options are on the table” for firms seeking reassurance from the UK’s Brexit talks September 5, 2016 Japan's ambassador to the UK has stressed that “all options are open” to Japanese businesses if Brexit negotiations do not meet demands. Yesterday, the Japanese ministry of Foreign Affairs published a 15 page memo with a list of almost 20 demands, citing concerns from banks, automakers and pharmaceuticals businesses. Without securing tariff-free trade to Europe, [...]
Theresa May says Britain should be a leader in free trade as she moots deals with five G20 nations September 5, 2016 Theresa May has said leaders of five G20 nations have expressed willingness to explore free trade deals with the UK in the aftermath of Brexit, although none of the nations are among the UK's top trading partners. May said the leaders of South Korea, Mexico, Singapore and India had all expressed a desire for talks to lift trade [...]
Downing Street has ruled out a points system for migration, despite senior ministers pushing the idea during the Brexit campaign September 5, 2016 Theresa May has scotched any chances of the UK moving to a new points-based set of rules of migration, aping a system already in place in Australia, overruling plans proposed by some of her senior cabinet ministers during the Brexit campaign. May was already issuing cautious noises on the plan overnight, telling reporters at the [...]
Second EU referendum legally possible, politically improbable September 5, 2016 Remainers (or Leavers having second thoughts) hoping for another punt at the EU membership vote might want to cover their ears now – the legal eagles have some bad news for you. A second referendum is legally possible, but politically, highly unlikely, lawyers have reminded people ahead of this afternoon's parliamentary debate. The debate, which will take [...]
Britain would have left the EU even if it had voted Remain September 5, 2016 Counterfactuals are the ugly stepsister of political risk analysis, neglected and scorned in equal measure because – as they deal with events that have never occurred – they can never be definitively assessed. We find this all more than a little amusing, as the first rule of any world-class analyst is humility, that nothing (good [...]
The chancellor’s fiscal reset is a golden opportunity to slash living costs through tax cuts and planning reform September 5, 2016 Philip Hammond recently said that he may use the Autumn Statement to “reset” fiscal policy. That is a welcome sentiment because it suggests the chancellor sees before him a golden opportunity to transform the tax system. With Parliament returning, we are likely to see the government start to formulate and publicise more detailed economic policy [...]