Theresa May is facing a call to disclose exactly what and when she knew about Softbank’s £24bn acquisition of Arm Holdings October 13, 2016 Theresa May is facing a call to disclose exactly what she knew about Softbank's £24bn acquisition of Arm Holdings from the Cambridge MP whose constituency includes the UK headquarters of the tech giant. The £24bn acquisition of Arm in July has been hailed by the government as an expression of confidence in the UK economy in the [...]
The Tories’ bold pitch for Labour voters isn’t all bad for business October 13, 2016 Businesses are often surprised by government announcements, mistaking civilised interactions with ministers and advisers for their real political intentions. Politicians might sympathise with a particular policy, but it will always be overridden by the political imperatives of the day. And so it is that many businesses have been caught off guard by the government’s shift [...]
Gorilla reportedly escapes from its enclosure at London Zoo October 13, 2016 Visitors to London Zoo have been locked inside attractions while armed police hunt a gorilla which has reportedly escaped from its enclosure. A video, which has been filmed from inside a building and showing armed police walking around the zoo's grounds in Regent's park, is currently circulating on Twitter. The Metropolitan Police arrived at the scene at 17:20, [...]
MPs are staging a vote on stripping Philip Green of his knighthood October 13, 2016 MPs will next week vote on removing the knighthood of former BHS owner Sir Philip Green after two MPs tabled an amendment to a scheduled debate. Work and pensions committee chair Frank Field was among the MPs who succeeded in securing a parliamentary debate on the collapse of BHS for 20 October. And now, Conservative MP [...]
Was the Marmite-gate row with Tesco over post-Brexit price hikes a PR disaster for Unilever? October 13, 2016 Arlo Brady, managing partner of the Brewery at Freuds, says Yes. This has been an uncomfortable few days for Unilever. A company that rightly prides itself as a world leader in corporate reputation has found itself in a bitter deadlock with the British public, withholding supplies of Marmite from the nation’s breakfast tables as it battles [...]
Tesco and Unilever strike deal over Marmite price war October 13, 2016 It's over. After a day which divided a nation and saw (some) Britons head to their nearest supermarket to stock up on our favourite yeast-based love-it-or-hate-it spread, two of the biggest names in British retail laid down arms. Marmite-owner Unilever said this evening: Unilever is pleased to confirm that the supply situation with Tesco in the [...]
This UK startup using AI for compliance just raised millions October 13, 2016 A UK tech startup which uses artificial intelligence to ensure compliance rules are followed by financial firms has raised millions of pounds from top investors. ComplyAdvantage has raised $8.2m (£6.7m) in a series A round of funding led by Balderton Capital to fuel expansion into the lucrative US market. The regulatory tech firm, or regtech (an offshoot of [...]
Donald Tusk tells the UK: It’s hard Brexit or no Brexit October 13, 2016 Top EU policymaker Donald Tusk has told the UK there is no possibility of a so-called "soft Brexit". Tusk, president of the European Council, said this afternoon "the only real alternative to a hard Brexit is no Brexit" as he appeared to shut the door on the option of the UK and the EU striking a [...]
Airport expansion go-ahead could coincide with the general election October 13, 2016 The government is set to decide on airport expansion in the south east next week, as legal experts warn that a lengthy process means consent is not likely to come before 2020 – an election year. Kevin Gibbs, planning partner at Bond Dickinson who has advised on airport expansion since the government’s 2003 whitepaper, The [...]
London Whale identification case heard in Supreme Court October 13, 2016 The City watchdog has faced off against a former JP Morgan executive in the UK's highest court today, looking to overturn a decision that it wrongly allowed him to be identified when reprimanding the bank over the London Whale scandal. Achilles Macris, who was responsible for a number of portfolios at the bank when its London [...]