Brexit: Theresa May will not seek long delay to Article 50 as she asks EU for short extension March 20, 2019 Theresa May will not seek a long Brexit extension when she writes to the EU to seek a delay to Article 50 today, according to reports. Read more: UK must commit to new political 'event' to get Brexit delay, warns Barnier The Prime Minister is set to ask for more time for parliament to back [...]
Will Ryanair gain from turbulent O’Leary moving aside? March 20, 2019 Earlier this month, the chief of budget airline Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, announced he would be stepping back from the day-to-day running of the airline. O’Leary identified his reputation as a negative distraction to the airline’s business and that the move would be a chance to “reboot” the company’s public perception after “disappointing” profit announcements. O’Leary [...]
Watchdog bans payday loan ad encouraging consumers to stockpile for Brexit March 20, 2019 An advert for payday lender Peachy has been banned for using uncertainty around Brexit to encourage consumers to stockpile food. The advert, which appeared in an email from the Manchester-based firm, stated “no one really knows what’s going on with this whole Brexit malarkey” and suggested it was a good idea to have food stockpiled [...]
BBC failings to blame for Eastenders set revamp delay, report finds March 20, 2019 The delayed and over-budget project to rebuild the Eastenders set was doomed from the start due to management failings by the BBC, a government report has found. A damning report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), published today, states the BBC underestimated the scale and complexity of the E20 project, which is now £27m over [...]
City Moves for 20 March – who’s switching jobs at Crowell & Moring, Delta Capita and DWF? March 20, 2019 Who’s switching jobs today? Crowell & Moring Andrew Knight is joining Crowell & Moring’s London office as a partner in its corporate and financial services practices to strengthen the firm’s ability to advise clients on debt finance and asset-based lending.His practice focuses on international financial law in the context of asset-based lending, syndications, restructurings, loan [...]
The FCA has to show it really means business March 20, 2019 THE CITY watchdog is back in the doghouse again following the collapse of mini-bonds lender London Capital & Finance (LC&F). Yesterday, Treasury Select Committee chair Nicky Morgan MP wrote to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Treasury demanding an investigation into possible “regulatory failings” surrounding the lender’s collapse. Read more: Nicky Morgan calls for [...]
Regulators must do more to help consumers navigate markets, national audit body says March 20, 2019 Britain’s four main regulatory bodies need to do more to help consumers navigate increasingly expensive markets and get the best deals available, the National Audit Office (NAO) said today. Debt was the most common problem people sought help with across the utilities, communications and financial services sectors due to high bills and credit payments, the NAO said this [...]
Private equity firms Apax Partners and Warburg Pincus approach Inmarsat with buyout proposal March 19, 2019 British satellite company Inmarsat is in talks with private equity firms Apax Partners and Warburg Pincus over a buyout deal. The firms, which were joined by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, have proposed to make a cash offer of $7.21 (£5.43) per Inmarsat share, the company announced today, which would value Inmarsat at about $3.3bn. [...]
Liz Truss promises focus on ‘less sexy’ transport projects in spending review March 19, 2019 Treasury minister Liz Truss has taken a thinly-veiled swipe at her cabinet colleagues as she hit out at politicians telling people what to eat and how much to exercise. In a speech setting out her priorities for a review of spending in Whitehall, Truss said the government should not be telling “capable citizens” what to [...]
WPP board ‘finally came to their senses’ over £2m bonus, says Sir Martin Sorrell March 19, 2019 Advertising veteran Sir Martin Sorrell has said the board of WPP “finally came to their senses” over his £2m bonus, which it has paid out almost a year after his abrupt exit. Speaking at Advertising Week Europe this evening Sorrell, who left the ad group amid allegations of misconduct, denied any wrongdoing as he took [...]