Stagecoach profits rise despite UK rail franchise loss June 26, 2019 Stagecoach has ruled out future bids for UK rail franchises today once its current operations finish in November. The transport giant also revealed higher profits for the year to the end of April despite its train business facing an uncertain future. The figures Stagecoach’s profit before tax rose 23 per cent year on year to [...]
Wood Group boosts first-half profit as it looks to cut debt pile June 26, 2019 Energy services firm Wood Group has reported profit growth in the first half of the year, thanks to an improvement in its margins. The FTSE 250 firm said revenue for the six months to the end of June was in line with the previous year. Read more: Wood Group wins $1bn nuclear contract at Sellafield [...]
Tube delays: Severe delays hit commuters on two Tube lines June 26, 2019 Commuters faced a morning of disruption today as Tube delays struck two key Underground lines. Read more: Tube delays strike Northern Line amid rail flooding cancellations Severe delays hit the Circle Line clockwise route after a faulty train at Latimer Road earlier this morning. The Circle Line is running a good service anti-clockwise, however, But [...]
Feeling lactose intolerant? A guide to office milk etiquette June 26, 2019 “Got milk?” The answer, if you’re reading this in the office or on your commute, is probably “no”. And if “yes”, it will be followed with “but not for much longer”. We’re all having a good laugh this week at the employee of Doncaster Council, who took the ingrained culture of petty office protectionism to [...]
HSBC boss criticised over Chinese socialism claim June 26, 2019 MPs have hit back at claims from HSBC’s chief executive that China’s communist government has “served its people really well.” John Flint, chief executive of the international bank, yesterday said the economic success of the Far East powerhouse should make Western democracies reassess their opposition to centrally-planned socialist economies. Flint was reported as saying that [...]
Regulator steps up scrutiny of fintech banks June 26, 2019 Applications to become the next Monzo or Revolut are falling under greater scrutiny, as regulators act on concerns about risk management. The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) only approved four applications for banking licences in the 12 months to the end of February, down from 14 in the previous year. However the number of applications remained [...]
Through the smoke: The legal path to Britain’s cannabis market June 26, 2019 The great and the good of the global cannabis industry (which, for those behind the curve on such things, is no longer a contradiction in terms), are assembling in London for a dazzling set of events under the banner of European Cannabis Week. Even those who follow the headlines about the industry’s rapidly escalating size [...]
DEBATE: Is the obsessive focus from politicians on increasing home ownership misguided? June 26, 2019 Is the obsessive focus from politicians on increasing home ownership misguided? Clive Docwra, managing director of McBains, says YES. Politicians are obsessed with home ownership, including both contenders for Prime Minister. Jeremy Hunt has put a new “right to own” policy at the heart of his bid, while Boris Johnson has backed replacing Help to [...]
Tragedy awaits if we don’t bridge the gap between beliefs and reality in the NHS June 26, 2019 A tragic story over the weekend revealed how a man who died of lung cancer was failed abysmally by the NHS. Two separate sets of doctors omitted to tell him for over a year that he had the disease. The added poignancy of the news item was that the victim was a relative of Nye [...]
Ethical clothing move by Asos aligns with views of eco-conscious June 26, 2019 Fast fashion is an increasingly hot topic as consumers become more environmentally aware, conscious about the impact of their shopping habits and look to reduce waste. Despite this, environmentally positive changes have been slow or non-existent, such as the recent rejection of the 1p fast fashion tax by government that would have raised money for [...]