EU competition chief defends Apple tax ruling on visit to Washington September 20, 2016 Margrethe Vestager, the EU chief who presided over the decision to slap Apple with a €13bn tax bill has met with counterparts in Washington in an attempt to smooth over relations on the issue of tax. Vestager said she had a "good, frank discussion" with US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew about state aid and taxation but fired [...]
Donald Trump sparks outrage by comparing Syrian refugee crisis to Skittles September 20, 2016 The Donald Trump campaign has provoked uproar, yet again, with its latest campaign adverts comparing the Syrian refugee crisis to a bowl of Skittles. Just hours after a bomb attack in Chelsea, Manhattan injured 29 people in Trump's home city of New York, the controversial tycoon's campaign team put out a shocking advert claiming refugees fleeing [...]
Things move slowly in the WTO – there’s a significant leadership opportunity for the UK September 20, 2016 Step changes typically pass unnoticed until after the event that triggered them has passed. The step change anticipated if Leave succeeded was a huge loss on the markets. That did not occur. But there is an unanticipated step change. An opportunity has emerged for the UK to lead action in reconstructing the World Trade Organisation [...]
Theresa May hits back at Brexit veto threats, saying EU nations “will sign up to a deal with us” September 19, 2016 Theresa May has hit back at EU countries threatening the UK ahead of trade negotiations, insisting they will sign up for a post-Brexit deal. The Prime Minister also said she would be “ambitious” in negotiations and backed the UK to be a “global leader in free trade”. Read more: May calls Wall Street summit to reassure US banking giants [...]
Theresa May has called a Wall Street summit to reassure US banking giants in the aftermath of Brexit September 19, 2016 Prime Minister Theresa May is to go on a charm offensive with US banks, holding a summit with some of the biggest institutions in a bid to reassure them over potential repercussions of Britain's vote to leave the EU. Wall Street heavyweights invited to attend the special summit later today include JP Morgan Chase investment banking chief [...]
Liam Fox has led the UK’s second meeting with Qatar in a week as he seeks to build ties with Gulf states September 19, 2016 Liam Fox has led the government's second engagement with Qatar's rulers in less than a week as Downing Street has vowed to comply fully with rules blocking the UK from trade talks while it remains an EU member. Qatari Emir Shiekh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited Downing Street to meet Theresa May last week, [...]
Former Lib Dem MP Vince Cable says his party’s plans for a second referendum are “disrespectful” and “counter-productive” September 19, 2016 Former Lib Dem business secretary Vince Cable has reportedly branded his party's plans for a second Brexit vote "disrespectful" and "utterly counterproductive". Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has sought to make his party the logical choice of Europhiles everywhere since the June Brexit vote. Farron has repeatedly pledged his party's support for EU membership, and declared at [...]
A London branch of campaign group Momentum isn’t just focused on the Labour party any more September 19, 2016 Civil war between Labour MPs and backers of Jeremy Corbyn is spilling over into the Co-op party, with London members of the Corbynist Momentum campaign now seeking to gain representation in their sister group. In August the Sunday Times reported some Labour MPs had considered the party as a possible escape route if, as expected, Corbyn triumphs in [...]
Moody’s says UK banks don’t need EU passporting rights September 19, 2016 Leaving the EU Single Market and losing passporting rights would be far from a disaster for the City of London, leading analysts at Moody's have found. The new research comes amid ongoing wrangling between the UK and Europe, between government ministers and across different industries all competing to put their views about what deal Theresa May should [...]
Canada issues vote of confidence in London’s future with new export hub September 19, 2016 Canada is to open a brand new trade hub in London this week in a big vote of confidence in the capital's post-referendum economy. Export Development Canada (EDC), the Canadian government's official export support service designed to help its firms crack in to new markets and win investment from around the world, will launch its second European operation at [...]