Downing Street rows back on support for £130m Google corporation tax deal January 25, 2016 Downing Street has distanced itself from Treasury ministers' reactions to the news that Google had agreed to had over £130m to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in unpaid corporation tax. The Prime Minister's official spokeswoman said the deal was a "step forward" but declined to endorse chancellor George Osborne's comments over the weekend that the tax [...]
EU referendum: Credit Suisse says Brexit could lead to a second Scottish independence referendum and benefit Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn January 25, 2016 If Britain votes to exit the European Union there could be an unexpected boost for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as well as a second Scottish independence referendum, according to Credit Suisse. When it looked at the longer-term, Credit Suisse said the market could decide that a Brexit outcome is not the end of UK political [...]
EU referendum: New YouGov poll finds big companies and startups want to stay in the EU while small businesses more divided January 25, 2016 The majority of bosses at Britain's biggest businesses want the UK to remain in the EU, even if their companies have not publicly stated a view on the issue, according to new research out today from YouGov. YouGov polled leading figures from 11 FTSE 100 organisations, three FTSE 250 firms, and two larger private companies. The executives surveyed included senior management [...]
Alan Johnson talks Labour’s relationship with business, its prospects in 2020 and the EU referendum January 25, 2016 Labour is a party in disarray. Under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, it is struggling to connect with the public and earn back the confidence of business. Some polls have Labour commanding just 25 per cent of the national vote. And it does not help that the party’s MPs seem constantly embroiled in public rows [...]
EU referendum: Lord Stuart Rose says the Leave side needs to be clear about what would happen in Brexit scenario January 25, 2016 Ahead of the upcoming referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union, Lord Stuart Rose, a leading figure of the In campaign, has said that there are huge risks to leaving the EU and that the Leave side needs to be clear on what would happen in a Brexit scenario. "I'm a bit of [...]
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wants to hand back Falklands, claims Argentina ambassador January 25, 2016 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wants to hand back some control of the Falklands to Argentina, according to outgoing Argentinian ambassador Alicia Castro. Castro said Corbyn is "one of ours", and added that he told her he wants a Northern Ireland-style arrangement where Britain and Argentina govern the islands together, according to the Press Association. Read more: Argentina's new [...]
Social MPs powerlist: After the General Election, these are the most influential politicians online January 25, 2016 Are the UK's new crop of MPs actually any good at social media? From tweeting Tories to sharing socialists, we've put together a list of the UK's best (and worst) politicians on social media. Although those at the top may not be Westminster's best negotiators, these are the MPs who seem to communicate best with [...]
Islamic State video says Britain now a target after Syria airstrikes; issues implied threat against MPs who voted for military action January 25, 2016 Islamic State (Isis) has issued a video saying Britain is now "a target" after having authorised airstrikes against the terrorist group in Syria – and issued an implied threat against specific MPs who voted in favour of the action. The group has posted a video claiming to show nine of the suspected gunmen from November's Paris [...]
EU referendum: Virgin Money chief executive Jayne-Anne Gadhia says Brexit would lead to fewer jobs and less prosperity January 24, 2016 Virgin Money chief executive Jayne-Anne Gadhia became the latest big business boss to wade in the European Union debate over the weekend when she came out in favour of the UK remaining in the EU. Gadhia said that while she "could see benefits of not being subject to all the bureaucracy of Europe", remaining in the EU would [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Eurosceptic Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith refuses to align with campaigns to leave the European Union January 24, 2016 Despite saying he has "always" been a eurosceptic, Conservative candidate for mayor of London Zac Goldsmith would not commit this morning to campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union. Appearing on the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show, Goldsmith said he believes "that the European institutions are profoundly undemocratic, unaccountable and far too centralised". But the Tory [...]