General Election 2015: Which political party is best for the UK stock market? April 7, 2015 The UK stock market has performed almost twice as well under Conservative rule than under Labour stewardship, according to research by financial adviser Hargreaves Lansdown. The analysis of the stock market’s behaviour since 1970 revealed other facts too: the last Labour minority government of 1974 (a year in which there were two general elections) oversaw [...]
Ukip legal battle: Nigel Farage could face High Court fight with Amjad Bashir April 7, 2015 Nigel Farage could be facing an intense legal battle with a former Ukip MEP. Amjad Bashir, who defected to the Conservative Party in January, has had his lawyers write to the Ukip leader asking him to withdraw allegations made earlier this year. Bashir's lawyers said Ukip could be taken to the High Court for possible [...]
Everything we know about Afren’s new chief executive Alan Linn April 7, 2015 Afren's investors have been pleased to hear its six-month search for a new chief executive has drawn to a close. And it is Alan Linn of Australian-listed Roc Oil who will take the top job. This means Linn had beat another candidate to the post – Jon Ferrier of the Danish shipping giant Maersk. Shares [...]
Brexit: 61pc of small business owners agree with Tony Blair and would vote to stay in the EU April 7, 2015 Tony Blair delivered a strong attack on David Cameron's EU referendum promise this morning at his old Sedgefield constituency. The former Labour leader and three-time General Election winner warned voters that the possibility of Brexit would leave "unpredictability hanging over the British economy". Whether Blair's intervention will serve to sway voters in favour of the [...]
Women’s life expectancy has fallen for the first time since 1995 – and it could be because they’re taking up traditionally male habits April 7, 2015 Female life expectancy among the over-60s in the UK has stopped rising for the first time in two decades, and for some age groups it has actually gone down, a new study shows. Women aged 65 had the same life expectancy in 2011 and 2013, while older women experienced a slight fall during the two [...]
UK services sector activity surges as PMI jumps in March April 7, 2015 Activity in the UK's services sector surged in March, new data suggests: Markit's purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 58.9 in March, its highest in seven months. Not only was the figure a sharp rise on the previous month's reading of 56.7, it was also way above the 57 analysts were expecting. Any figure above 50 [...]
Charged in 60 seconds: Superfast battery could charge smartphones and laptops in just one minute April 7, 2015 An end to dead smartphone batteries? An experimental battery which can be recharged from zero to 100 per cent in an “unprecedented” 60 seconds has the potential to revolutionise technological devices. Made of aluminium rather than lithium or alkaline like those currently used in smartphones and laptops, the battery is also safer and cheaper to [...]
General Election 2015: What does Tony Blair really think of Ed Miliband? April 7, 2015 Labour's most electorally successful leader has re-entered the fray of British politics, warning voters that another Tory government will jeopardise the UK's relationship with the EU. In a speech at the Excel Centre in his former constituency of Sedgefield today, Tony Blair will also praise Labour leader Ed Miliband for showing "real leadership" for ruling [...]
UK property prices: Have renters given up on owning their own home? Just 40 per cent of renters are saving for a house April 7, 2015 The UK's renters have given up on graduating to property ownership, it seems – after new research suggested just 43 per cent of renters aged between 20 and 45 are saving to buy a home. The figure has fallen by six percentage points since last year, Halifax's Generation Rent report showed. More than half [...]
World Health Day 2015: These are the world’s healthiest cities to live in April 7, 2015 It's World Health Day – an annual event created by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to remind us of the importance of healthy living across the world. With pollution levels rising and the number of people suffering from obesity steadily increasing, the need for us to assess our lifestyle choices is growing. But in the [...]