Keith Vaz resigns as head of the home affairs select committee over male escorts and drug-taking allegations September 6, 2016 Keith Vaz has resigned as head of the home affairs select committee over allegations he paid for male escorts. The Labour MP had led the committee since 2007 and the group investigates areas such as crime, policing, drugs, immigration and extremism. According to a report in the Sunday Mirror last weekend, the 59-year-old MP for Leicester [...]
Consumer spending hit a 13-month high in August as Brits overspent on holiday September 6, 2016 Consumer spending hit a 13-month high in August, boosted by the nation's holiday overspend on the back of the decline in the value of sterling. Overall, spending increased by 4.2 per cent year-on-year in July, according to Barclaycard, which collects data on consumer spending in everything from retail to food and leisure. Holiday spending boosted [...]
Tour of Britain 2016 route map – where to watch the race, what time, and how to get there September 6, 2016 The beginning of this week has proven that summer is well and truly over, but don’t let that dampen your spirits. After eight days of racing, the biggest cycling event in Britain is coming to London this Sunday, when the capital will once again host the final stage of the Tour of Britain. Already thinking about [...]
HIG Capital sells Docklands DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel to Chinese group for £80m September 6, 2016 Global private equity group HIG Capital has agreed to sell its DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in London's Docklands to Chinese investor firm Junson Capital for around £80m. HIG purchased the Rotherhithe hotel, previously owned by Swedish group Pandox, in early 2014. Its business plan for the hotel included rebranding it under the DoubleTree name and implementing a long-term refurbishment programme, [...]
Flight delays at London City Airport due to Black Lives Matter protests September 6, 2016 The London City Airport runway has reopened, after police arrested nine Black Lives Matter protesters who disrupted flights this morning. The Metropolitan Police were called to the central London airport at around 5.40am today, to reports of protesters airside. Police said there were nine protesters on the runway at the airport who had erected a tripod and locked [...]
Insurtech investment in the UK has tripled September 6, 2016 Investment in the insurance technology sector – part of London's world leading fintech scene – is booming. More than $22m (£16.5m) has been ploughed into insurtech so far this year – nearly triple the amount invested in the whole of last year and faster growth than any other country in the world. The research from Accenture and CB Insights, [...]
Halfords’ share price rises as Olympics “cycling heroes” pump up sales in bike arm and group revenue increases September 6, 2016 Halfords' share price was pumped up this morning by a healthy rise in group revenues and news that the Olympics has helped the group offset slower cycling growth from previous quarters. The figures Halfords' group revenue rose 4.8 per cent in the 20 weeks to 19 August, with retail revenue rising 4.8 per cent and its [...]
These are the university towns where house price growth could pay for tuition fees September 6, 2016 What with top-up fees and inflation, going to university has become considerably more expensive in the past few years – but what if you could kill two birds with one stone, and pay off your university fees with your accommodation? New research by HouseSimple.com has found the universities where house price growth in the local area [...]
London is no longer the leading hub for this financial product September 6, 2016 London has lost its interest rate derivatives crown for the first time in a survey's 21-year history — and rival financial hub New York has wrestled it from the top spot. Investors and companies use the popular financial product to bet or hedge against unexpected moves in interest rates by central banks. Read more: Global investors back London to retain financial centre crown [...]
Housebuilders’ share prices rise as the big-hitters brave the Brexit storm September 6, 2016 Housebuilders were some of the top risers this morning after big-hitter Berkeley Group said it would meet its £2bn profit target and Redrow posted record results. At time of writing, Berkeley Group was leading the FTSE 100 risers, as its share price was up 3.72 per cent. Redrow's share price was up 7.26 per cent. Taylor Wimpey and Barratt [...]