Here’s why the UK government was planning a £6m deal to modernise Saudi Arabian prisons in the first place October 13, 2015 Why the UK is pulling out of the deal Prime Minister David Cameron has backtracked on a deal worth £6m with the Saudi Arabian Prison Service due to the country's human rights record and criminal justice system. The cancellation is a victory for justice minister Michael Gove, who had lobbied the Prime Minister to cancel the [...]
Treasury and Financial Conduct Authority open consultation to improve financial advice October 13, 2015 The Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have opened a consultation into what can be done to improve people’s access to financial advice. Financial advisers and members of the public have until just before Christmas to tell the government and the regulator what they think should be done differently, they said yesterday. The FCA has faced criticism in [...]
Local planning authorities say they don’t have the resources to give planning permission on time October 13, 2015 Property firms have welcomed the government’s new housing and planning bill, as a survey out today exposes the inefficiencies of the current planning system. Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday that local authorities will have to produce local plans for new homes in their area within the next two years – or the national government [...]
Labour in crisis over tax U-turn: John McDonnell throws party into chaos at ‘car crash’ PLP meeting October 13, 2015 Firebrand shadow chancellor John McDonnell threw the Labour party into further turmoil last night with another screeching policy U-turn, announcing that his party would reject the government’s “fiscal charter” less than one month after saying he planned to support it. The move sparked outrage at a late-night meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), with McDonnell [...]
Pimlico Pumbers boss Charlie Mullins resigns from Business for Britain over EU exit campaign October 12, 2015 Plumbing entrepreneur Charlie Mullins has resinged from Business For Britain over its stance on Britain's membership of the European Union. Mullins, founder and boss of Pimlico Plumbers, was a member of the group's advisory committee, but has quit after the organisation after it repositioned itself alongside the recently-launched Vote Leave campaign. He said yesterday: “I find [...]
Why don’t investors care about women on boards? October 12, 2015 Less than a quarter of institutional investors have said that they believe gender diversity on management boards is important, according to a new survey out today. Hermes Investment management’s annual Responsible Capitalism survey found that only 23 per cent of institutional decision-makers said that they placed importance on gender diversity at the board level, despite [...]
Government to launch £4m fund to help boost UK’s video games industry October 12, 2015 A £4m fund has been launched by the government to help boost the UK's booming video games industry, hoping to help smaller companies to a sector "which has already given the world global blockbusters like Tomb Raider, Little Big Planet, Runescape, Monument Valley and Batman: Arkham Knight". Read more: Sales of video games help boost dwindling [...]
EU referendum: Business and markets need to start thinking through Brexit risks October 12, 2015 The formation of the 'leave' and 'remain' groups to fight their respective corners in the Brexit debate should be a further reminder to both business and markets that the referendum on the United Kingdom's place in the European Union is coming. We do not yet know the date for the referendum, nor are details of [...]
EU referendum: Lord Stuart Rose launches Britain Stronger in Europe “In” campaign October 12, 2015 The campaign for the UK to remain in the EU, Britain Stronger in Europe, has launched this morning at an event in east London. Business figures took a leading role in this morning's event, which included a campaign video featuring Easyjet chief executive Carolyn McCall saying, "Everything is easier because of Europe." Led by former Marks & Spencer [...]
Prime Minister David Cameron cracks down on councils over housebuilding October 12, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron is putting pressure on local councils to green-light plans to build new houses today, as the government publishes its new housing and planning bill. The Prime Minister will warn local authorities that they must produce local plans for new homes in their area within the next two years – or the [...]