European Commission postpones controversial decision on China’s trade status January 13, 2016 The European Commission (EC) has postponed its decision on whether or not to give China market economy status, a decision Beijing argues is already long overdue. The commission met today to discuss the plan, but instead of reaching a conclusion tabled it until the second half of 2016, announcing it would be liaising with European [...]
Firms overwhelmed by right to be forgotten requests January 13, 2016 Firms are already overwhelmed by right to be forgotten requests, as a new survey shows many are a long way from compliance with EU data protection legislation. Nearly half, or 46 per cent, of IT professionals have been asked to remove data in the past year, according to a study from Blancco Technology Group, surveying [...]
Kim Jong-uninvited: North Korea’s invite to Davos World Economic Forum 2016 revoked after nuclear tests January 13, 2016 A delegation of North Korean officials have been disinvited to Davos after the reclusive country started nuclear weapons testing. The original invite to the exclusive World Economic Forum – the first for the country since 1998 – has now been revoked. "There had been some convincing, encouraging signals out of the DPRK that there may be an opportunity for international [...]
Job cuts at BP show that Scotland would be in a financial mess if it was independent, claims Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone January 13, 2016 The decision by BP to cut 600 jobs from its North Sea business is proof that an independent Scotland would have been a "financial mess", a Member of Scottish Parliament has claimed. Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone said the announcement of job cuts was devastating for individuals and families, urging first minister Nicola Sturgeon to draw [...]
George stands by his yuan: Osborne to press ahead with plans to connect British and Chinese stock exchanges January 13, 2016 Chancellor George Osborne is pressing ahead with plans to connect the British and Chinese stock exchanges despite heightened market fears over volatility in the Chinese markets. Osborne used a speech in Shanghai last September to announce a new “feasibility study” into connecting the UK and Chinese markets, writing at the time in City A.M. that [...]
Think tanks urge people to be able to choose for themselves on sugar January 13, 2016 Controversial sugar tax proposals have been slammed by an economic think tank, following hints by Prime Minister David Cameron last week that the government could introduce a tax on sugary drinks this year. The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has today published a report sharply criticising the plans, labelling them “regressive, inefficient and unpopular”. Lobby [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Exclusive new poll shows Goldsmith leads Khan by 39 per cent among London businesses January 12, 2016 Conservative mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith is overwhelmingly seen by London firms as being more pro-business than his Labour rival Sadiq Khan, according to a new poll seen exclusively by City A.M. Two-thirds of London businesses think Goldsmith is pro-business, while just 29 per cent say the same of Khan, according to the poll, conducted by ComRes for [...]
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn steps down as head of parliamentary anti-nukes campaign amid Trident row January 12, 2016 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has stepped down from his post as leader of a cross-party group opposing the proliferation of nuclear weapons amid growing discontent over the Labour party's stance on Trident. Corbyn resigned as chair of the Parliamentary Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), and has been replaced by Caroline Lucas, the Green Party announced in a [...]
EU migrant crisis: German attitudes to immigration harden following Cologne attacks January 12, 2016 Attitudes towards immigration in Germany have hardened in the aftermath of a series of sexual assaults in Cologne carried out by a group of men that included asylum seekers, according to a new poll. The poll by YouGov found that some 62 per cent of Germans now believe the number of asylum seekers is already too high, [...]
Snoopers’ charter: Public support for government’s Investigatory Powers bill soaring despite criticism from Vodafone, Apple, Facebook and Google January 12, 2016 Britons are increasingly backing the UK government’s so-called snoopers’ charter, as a fresh survey shows support for the proposed legislation to monitor communication skyrocketing in the wake of recent terror threats. With some 63 per cent now in favour of the controversial Investigatory Powers bill, the survey from Broadband Genie shows a significant shift in [...]