Black Friday promotions drive unexpected retail boost in November December 20, 2018 Retail sales enjoyed stronger-than-expected growth in November as shoppers cashed in on Black Friday promotions. Sales over the month increased by 1.4 per cent compared to the same period last year, far higher than the 0.3 per cent forecast in a Reuters poll of economists. But over the three months to November sales rose by [...]
A second referendum wouldn’t be undemocratic… but it would be disastrous December 20, 2018 As a Dutch Anglophile and a committed European, my natural sympathies lie with those currently aiming to preserve the ties that bind the UK to the European Union. What the massive street protests and the passionate people’s vote campaign make clear is that many Brits are as attached to their newly-won European rights as they [...]
Forget Brexit, the government must get cracking on Britain’s industrial strategy December 20, 2018 Given the breakneck speed at which news on UK politics has been moving in December, it’s understandable that the first anniversary of the launch of the government’s industrial strategy went largely unnoticed. But in the face of uncertainty over Britain’s international future, it is all the more important that the government makes progress on delivering [...]
Dear Santa, all we want for Christmas is more freedom – sincerely, the economy December 20, 2018 What does the economy want for Christmas? The answer is what it always wants, but rarely gets: more economic freedom. Economic freedom is actually two presents, not one. To make this Christmas one to remember, the economy wants to unwrap both public and private sector freedom. Public sector freedom comes in the form of a [...]
Flights to continue between UK and EU for 12 months in event of no-deal Brexit December 19, 2018 The EU has said flights from the UK into and over the EU would be allowed for 12 months to enable "basic connectivity" if the UK leaves the bloc without a deal. Following the government's announcement yesterday that it was ramping up its preparations for leaving the EU without a deal, the EU has issued [...]
Immigration after Brexit: Here’s how the City reacted to Sajid Javid’s white paper December 19, 2018 The government has outlined proposals for rules on immigration after the UK leaves the European Union next year, prompting a flurry of responses from business leaders across the City. Unveiled by home secretary Sajid Javid this afternoon, the document said low-skilled workers entering the UK from EU countries will no longer receive automatic approval to work in [...]
Javid sets out post-Brexit immigration rules in hotly anticipated white paper December 19, 2018 Home secretary Sajid Javid has unveiled the government's post-Brexit immigration plans in a white paper this afternoon, with low-skilled workers no longer automatically receiving the right to work in the UK. Javid had said earlier in the day that the plans wouldn't include a specific target to reduce annual net migration to the UK, however Prime Minister [...]
Jeremy Corbyn accused of calling Theresa May a ‘stupid woman’ at PMQs December 19, 2018 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of calling Theresa May a "stupid woman" during Prime Minister's Questions today, as calls mounted for him to apologise. The Prime Minister was mocking Corbyn during a clash over the government's Brexit deal, at which point he was caught on parliamentary cameras muttering words to himself. Speaker John Bercow was [...]
London house prices slump as Brexit stagnation spreads to suburbs December 19, 2018 London house prices fell in October as slowdown in the capital dragged down UK property price growth to its lowest level in five years. House prices in London fell 0.3 per cent in October, taking the annual price fall in the capital to 1.7 per cent, according to data released today by the Office for National [...]
The changes that could shake up your finances in 2019 December 19, 2018 We Brits approach 2019 with a sense of dread, waiting with bated breath to find out how (and if) the UK leaves the European Union on 29 March. There’s no doubt that Brexit will affect various corners of our finances, but perhaps the real game-changer for our money will be the ongoing push to make [...]