Private equity firms reportedly circling O2 after Three merger blocked May 12, 2016 Top private equity firms are circling O2 after Brussels yesterday blocked a billion pound takeover of the mobile network by Three owner Hutchison, according to reports. Apax Partners, CVC Capital and KKR are among firms to have held preliminary talks exploring a potential bid for Telefonica's O2, Sky reports. They join Liberty Global, the owner of Virgin Media [...]
BBC Charter renewal: Culture secretary John Whittingdale reveals shake up of broadcaster in white paper May 12, 2016 A new unitary board which will govern the BBC is to replace the trust overseeing the corporation, while Ofcom will become its regulator, the culture secretary John Whittingdale has announced. Whittingdale – who is speaking to the Commons now – said the Trust was "no longer fit for purpose" and said it was unclear where the [...]
Sadiq Khan will need to be radical in his thinking to solve London housing crisis May 12, 2016 The election of Sadiq Khan as London's new mayor neatly demonstrates what makes London a great city. Through his victory, Khan highlights that London is a city of opportunity where success is not dependent on a privileged upbringing. However, the attraction of London – thanks to its thriving economy and its ability to attract talent – [...]
EDF warns Hinkley Point C costs could rise by nearly £3bn May 12, 2016 EDF has warned that the cost of building two nuclear reactors at Hinkley could be nearly £3bn more than planned, while the start date could be pushed back to 2026. The project, which was previously expected to cost £18bn, is at the heart of the government's energy policy. Britain is facing a supply crunch as its [...]
Sophie Conran talks us through how she decorated her Bayswater home while a banoffee pie bakes in the oven May 12, 2016 As I am shown into Sophie Conran’s kitchen, the interior/product designer and cook is, naturally, putting the finishing touches to a banoffee pie. Smart in a blue jacket, jeans and a ponytail, she’s warm and natural with a big smile. Sophie's used to having media drop in on her – she holds product launches of her homewares [...]
EU referendum: National Insurance registrations shows immigration to be higher than thought because of short-term migration, ONS says May 12, 2016 The number of non-UK nationals registering for National Insurance (NI) numbers is higher than other official statistics due to short-term migration, long-awaited analysis has shown. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found a large number of people entered the UK for a short period of time (one to twelve months) over the past two years, which [...]
Google says payday loans are just as bad as drugs and guns May 12, 2016 Payday loans are as bad as drugs, weapons and counterfeit goods, Google has said, adding them to its list of items banned from being advertised on its search engine. Lenders offering payday loans will be banned from advertising anywhere on Google across the globe, the search giant has said, signalling another nail in the coffin [...]
Five things to look out for from Bank of England’s Super Thursday May 12, 2016 It's the fourth instalment of the Bank of England's Super Thursday today, and traders, wonks and campaigners are pumped for some fireworks from the Old Lady at lunchtime today. At 12pm, the Bank will unveil not only the latest decision of the rate-setting monetary policy committee (MPC), but the minutes from that meeting and its [...]
Donald Trump Vs Sadiq Khan: Billionaire appears to back down on Muslim ban following response from Mayor of London May 12, 2016 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump appears to have backed down on his blanket ban on Muslims entering America after comments by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. Trump told Fox News that the ban was "just a suggestion" (though it didn't seem like that at the time), after Khan said that Trump's view of Islam was [...]
Huge sinkhole swallows car in Greenwich May 12, 2016 Residents of Greenwich were probably not expecting a giant sinkhole to appear on a sunny Thursday morning, but that's exactly what happened – and it's not ended well for one car owner. The road has half swallowed a blue estate, leaving it in a precarious yet comedic angle. There was no one in it and no one [...]