The government will publish the final apprenticeship levy details just six months before it launches August 12, 2016 Businesses are to be given just six months to prepare for the launch of the apprenticeship levy, according to documents released today. In a summer consultation, the government has laid out the arithmetic behind plans allowing businesses to deduct the training of their own apprentices from the levy, which is set at 0.5 per cent [...]
66 days of Labour: All these major historical events were quicker than Labour’s leadership election? August 12, 2016 Labour may have won a court battle to prevent 130,000 new members from voting in its leadership election, but the battle between Owen Smith and Jeremy Corbyn will still rage for a healthy 66 days. Had the party lost in the court of appeal today, Smith would have pushed for an extension to the Labour contest, delaying [...]
Now there’s going to be a strike on Virgin trains – but Virgin has promised a “normal timetable” August 12, 2016 Virgin Trains has promised to run a "normal timetable" during three 24-hour strikes which were confirmed by the RMT union today. In a statement today, RMT said the three 24-hour strikes on Virgin East Coast, which were announced on Tuesday, will take place on Friday 19 August, Friday 26 August and Monday 29 August, threatening to disrupt [...]
Fresh wave of North Sea oil strikes suspended as talks restart August 12, 2016 A third round of strikes on Shell's North Sea platforms have been suspended to restart talks between Wood Group and trade unions. A series of strikes had been planned by workers of oil services firm Wood Group on Shell's Curlew, Brent Alpha, Brent Bravo, Nelson, Gannet, Shearwater, Brent Charlie platforms between 15 August and 3 September. [...]
Eurozone growth rate halves in second quarter as GDP expands by 0.3 per cent August 12, 2016 The Eurozone grew by 0.3 per cent in the second quarter of the year, as a slowdown in both France and Germany weighed on economic performance. The single currency bloc had surprised analysts with a bumper 0.6 per cent expansion in the first three months of the year, but zero growth in France and only [...]
Tata Steel could finalise a rescue deal for Port Talbot next quarter August 12, 2016 Tata Steel could finalise a rescue deal for its UK assets, including the Port Talbot steelworks, as early as next quarter. The Indian congolomerate first revealed its UK business was under review in February. It recently paused the sales process to explore a merger of its European operations with rival firm ThyssenKrupp. Unions previously urged Tata to provide [...]
Construction industry stumbles but don’t blame Brexit yet August 12, 2016 The stumble in UK construction in the run-up to the referendum was worse than economists first feared, as housebuilding and property development fell back in the second quarter of the year. Construction output dropped by 0.9 per cent in June, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning. The decline [...]
This is where all the bankers live (and it’s not West London) August 12, 2016 West London has normally been thought of as the residential hot-spot for bankers – but although it still houses the most wealthy people in London, the City folk have moved out. City workers are now concentrated in the Isle of Dogs and fashionable Islington, according to data from salary benchmarking site Emolument. Read more: Mapped: First-time buyer [...]
China’s slowdown intensifies with weak summer spending August 12, 2016 China's economic rebalancing hit another speed bump this morning as fresh data came in below expectations. Growth in both the mighty industrial sector and consumer industries slipped back in July, highlighting the extent of China's struggle to maintain its breakneck expansion while also implementing structural reforms. This morning the National Bureau of Statistics said investment in fixed [...]
A new campaign website promoted by Jeremy Corbyn claims Labour and Tories “were neck and neck” in polls prior to the rebellion by party MPs… August 12, 2016 A new website promoted by Jeremy Corbyn's camp in an attempt to dispel myths about the Labour leader appears to be blaming the party's rebels for its poor performance in polls. CorbynFacts.com, revealed by the Labour leader's official campaign yesterday and launched during last night's Labour's second leadership hustings, prominently features the claim that Labour and [...]