SNP reaction to the Autumn Statement 2015: Chancellor George Osborne’s actions will hurt Scottish business November 26, 2015 As we start to pick over the detail of the Autumn Statement it would be easy for many to think the chancellor has pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat – although as one journalist put it yesterday, “his 'rabbit out of the hat' was to shoot the last rabbit". Today’s papers seem to hail [...]
Christmas adverts 2015: Aldi has just spoofed John Lewis’ Man on the Moon ad November 26, 2015 As day is followed by night, so too is John Lewis' Christmas advert followed by a series of spoofs. So far the selection has been pretty dark, including imagining the Man on the Moon as the evil Emperor from the Star Wars trilogy (and blowing up Earth once he can see where it is). Now Aldi has [...]
City A.M. Awards 2015 Business Personality of the Year winner Tony Pidgley, the co-founder of the Berkeley Group has a true rags-to-riches tale November 26, 2015 When it comes to determining the key to his success in life, Tony Pidgley puts it down to a good dose of common sense, a splash of luck and the life lesson his first lorry taught him when he was 15 and the engine blew up. His main means of earning his keep – transporting [...]
UK immigration figures: Net migration in the UK has hit a record high after ONS latest figures reveal 336,000 in June November 26, 2015 Migration figures have hit a new high of 336,000 in June, a rise of 82,000 on last year, official figures reveal. The number of people entering Britain increased by 62,000 while the number emigrating fell by 20,000 compared to the same time last year, creating an overall rise in net migration. Both EU and non-EU citizens arriving [...]
Autumn Statement 2015: Stamp duty surcharge on buy-to-let properties will hit tenants not landlords, claims Blick Rothenberg November 26, 2015 George Osborne's three per cent surcharge on buy-to-let properties will harm tenants rather than landlords, chartered accountant Blick Rothenberg has claimed. Announced as part of yesterday's Autumn Statement, the charge has been branded a "badly-timed mistake", which could have the unintended consequence of pushing rental rates up, as landlords look to offset the higher costs they [...]
Autumn Statement and Spending Review 2015: The verdicts on George Osborne’s proposals November 26, 2015 THE BUSINESS GROUP HEAD CAROLYN FAIRBAIRN, CONFEDERATION OF BRITISH INDUSTRY, DIRECTOR-GENERAL The apprenticeship levy will be a big extra payroll tax on employers and widening the net will hit Britain’s smaller firms. This was a good spending review for longer-term investment in the economy but there’s a sting in the tail in the size and [...]
Black Friday UK 2015: Here’s how retailer websites Argos, Amazon, John Lewis, Currys and more are holding up as people hunt for deals November 26, 2015 Customers hunting for Black Friday deals are being held back by the slowness of retailers' websites, with Argos customers waiting nearly 10 seconds to bag a bargain in some instances. The Argos website had temporary service issues for 15 minutes on the Friday before the biggest shopping day of the year, according to website analyst firm Capacitas. [...]
Crying can help you get what you want at work November 26, 2015 Don't be afraid to shed a tear at work – it could end up getting you the pay rise you're after, or land you the project you've been fighting for. A new study in the Journal of Applied Psychology shows that, in many cases, crying or showing other signs of sadness gives you leverage in [...]
Moving to the country: Living in a more scenic area makes you feel healthier November 26, 2015 Those lucky few commuting into London from the countryside have reason to rejoice: people feel healthier when they live in a more scenic area. According to new research, people feel healthier living in a town or the countryside, rather an urban area. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, found people living in an area rated [...]
Cameron tells MPs “we cannot stand aside” as he seeks approval to extend airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria November 26, 2015 David Cameron has told the Foreign Affairs Committee that the UK should extend its military campaign against Islamic State into Syria. Setting out his "comprehensive strategy" for how the UK will seek to tackle Islamic State, Cameron told the MPs more action was needed to tackle the group, which has claimed responsibility for attacks in Paris [...]