Theresa May defeated on ‘no deal’ vote as 20 Tories rebel January 8, 2019 MPs opposed to a ‘no deal’ Brexit drew first blood last night ahead of a momentous week for the government's EU withdrawal plans. Some 20 Tory MPs voted with Labour to restrict the chancellor's ability to cut or raise taxes in a ‘no deal’ scenario without the consent of Parliament. The move could severely tie [...]
EU happy to give assurances over the backstop, Irish PM Leo Varadkar claims in boost to Theresa May January 8, 2019 The EU is prepared to give fresh guarantees it does want to trap the UK in a backstop arrangement after Brexit, Ireland’s Prime Minister has said. Speaking in Mali, Leo Varadkar made it clear European leaders would be willing to give assurances which could help Theresa May win a parliamentary vote on her deal next [...]
HSBC slammed over controversial ‘anti-Brexit’ ad campaign January 8, 2019 HSBC is facing criticism over an advertising campaign stating the UK is “not an island” amid complaints it is anti-Brexit. The bank’s new campaign, launched last week, highlights the influence of other cultures on life in the UK. The posters and accompanying video celebrate Britons’ penchant for foreign imports, such as Columbian coffee, American films [...]
Pantheon opens Dublin office as part of Brexit planning January 8, 2019 Investment firm Pantheon has opened a Dublin office in order to continue doing business within the EU after Brexit. The private equity, infrastructure, real assets and debt investor, which has $42.3bn assets under management, is authorised as an EU Alternative Investment Fund Manager in Ireland, and the five-strong team will be lead by chief executive [...]
UK not looking to delay Article 50, says Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay January 8, 2019 The UK is not looking to extend Article 50, Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay has said, rebuffing reports that officials were seeking to move the 29 March deadline date. The Telegraph reported that British and European officials are discussing the possibility of extending Britain’s formal notice to withdraw from the EU. “The government’s policy is clear [...]
UK house prices get unexpected December boost but market remains subdued January 8, 2019 UK house prices rose 1.3 per cent in the three months to December compared to the same period last year, according to new figures from Halifax. The annual growth rate was up from the 0.3 per cent recorded in November, but house prices were 0.4 per cent lower than in the preceding three months. Read [...]
Labour and Conservative MPs join forces to attempt to block a no-deal Brexit by stripping government of powers January 8, 2019 Labour and Tory MPs have teamed up to table an amendment that seeks to force the government to rule out a no-deal Brexit. Conservative backbencher Nicky Morgan and Labour MP Yvette Cooper’s proposed amendment to the Finance Bill would limit the government’s spending powers if the UK leaves the EU with no agreement. It reportedly [...]
Greene King toasts record Christmas trading amid cost-cutting plans January 8, 2019 Pub chain Greene King today recorded strong sales growth over Christmas and the New Year as it cashed in on festive drinking. Greene King said like-for-sale sales over the last two weeks rose 10.9 per cent, while Christmas day sales hit a record £7.7m. The chain, which operates almost 3,000 pubs, restaurants and hotels across [...]
A Brexit negotiated by Trump would have been a wild ride January 8, 2019 How would Donald Trump have approached negotiating Brexit? A few months ago, several commentators mused over this exact question. The current game of chicken between the President and Democrats in Congress, resulting in a partial US government shutdown, is perhaps the best insight we’ll get. And it shows the wild ride that a Prime Minister [...]
DEBATE: Should we celebrate the fact that car sales are down for the second year running? January 8, 2019 Should we celebrate the fact that car sales are down for the second year running? Benedict Spence, a freelance writer, says YES. For all the talk of a fall in car sales in the UK, well over two million new vehicles were registered in Britain last year. It’s a staggering number, and it was only a [...]