Devolution could stimulate economic growth but government must do more, says National Audit Office April 20, 2016 Devolution to regions of England will offer opportunities to stimulate economic growth and reform public services, but the government must do more to provide confidence that deals will lead to their intended benefits, the National Audit Office (NAO) has said. The government has so far not set out a clear statement of what it is [...]
Mitie boss: Businesses must swap secrets to solve diversity deficit April 19, 2016 The boss of London-listed outsourcer Mitie has urged British businesses to swap their best practices for improving ethnic diversity in the workplace. Ruby McGregor-Smith, who became the first Asian female chief executive of a FTSE 250-listed firm when she took the reins at Mitie in 2007, is heading a government-commissioned review into this issue. Read more: We need more role [...]
MPs to be given power on picking future chief executives of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) April 19, 2016 MPs will be given the power to say yea or nay to the top role at the City watchdog, thanks to a legal amendment agreed on today. The proposed clause for the Bank of England and Financial Services Bill means that government will have to seek approval from parliament, particularly the Treasury Select Committee, for any future [...]
London mayoral election 2016: What do financial traders think will happen on 5 May? April 19, 2016 With just over two weeks until London elects its next mayor, polls are showing Sadiq Khan leading over Zac Goldsmith, with other candidates expected to finish some way behind the pair. But while Khan and Goldsmith are not a million miles apart in the polls – or indeed with bookmakers – they are with financial [...]
EU referendum: Remain campaign is boosted after government’s controversial leaflet is sent out April 19, 2016 With the EU referendum edging closer and closer the Remain campaign has witnessed a surge of support. The Remain camp has managed to persuade more voters of the merits of staying in the EU after the government's controversial £9m leaflet was sent to households across the UK. Indeed, the latest ORB poll has found that [...]
EU referendum: Michael Gove says there will not be an economic shock from Brexit in contrast to IMF, WTO and World Bank April 19, 2016 The International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation and World Bank are all wrong according to justice secretary Michael Gove, who has said there would be no economic shock after a Brexit vote. Speaking ahead of his EU intervention later, Gove said that there would not be a short-term shock from Britain leaving the EU, nor [...]
Osborne sparks a Tory backlash: Furious MPs blast Treasury report as chancellor George Osborne claims he’s given Britain the facts on EU referendum April 19, 2016 The Treasury's forecasts that UK households will be £4,300 worse off a year by 2030 if we leave the European Union were slammed by eurosceptics yesterday, with MPs calling the chancellor’s report “pathetic” and “desperate”. The split between pro- and anti-EU members of the Tory party widened into a chasm after the Treasury’s analysis claimed that a [...]
Meeting adjourned: Public Accounts Committee slams Home Office representative for turning up to meeting about confiscation orders seemingly underprepared April 18, 2016 The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticised "disappointing" progress on confiscation orders today, before adjourning a meeting early after a Home Office representative did not appear ready to discuss previously agreed points. The PAC took evidence from Mark Sedwill, permanent secretary at the Home Office, Mick Creedon, chief constable of Derbyshire Police and national lead officer for Serious and Organised Crime, [...]
How Brexit would affect the UK’s pharma, auto, financial services, digital, professional, steel and aerospace sectors, according to the Treasury April 18, 2016 The Treasury's 200-page report on the impact of a Brexit on the UK economy looks at exactly how bad things could get for certain sectors. You might not agree with it, but this is what the government's bean counters estimate will happen to some of the country's biggest and most important industries. Pharma The sector, [...]
EU referendum: Treasury’s Brexit claims rubbished by Vote Leave MP John Redwood April 18, 2016 Conservative MP and Vote Leave campaigner John Redwood has rubbished the Treasury's claims that a Brexit would cost each household £4,300 a year as "absurd". Last night it emerged the government department's analysis into the impact of the UK leaving the European Union – which was published today – would show that Britain's national income could be six [...]