Jeremy Corbyn calls for vote of no confidence in Theresa May December 17, 2018 Jeremy Corbyn has called for a vote of no confidence in Theresa May, but pulled back from trying to force a general election. After an afternoon of confusion, the Labour leader announced he wanted a Commons vote because of the way May had handled the vote on her Brexit deal. The Prime Minister cancelled a [...]
A third of investors believe more non-UK fund managers will open London offices after Brexit December 17, 2018 More non-UK fund managers could open offices in Britain to retain access to expertise following Brexit, new research has found. One in three institutional investors believe the UK’s exit from the European Union will lead to an increase in merger and acquisition activity, with European firms buying UK businesses to give them a presence in [...]
Productivity lessons from the procrastinator Prime Minister December 17, 2018 Can we assume, given that you’re reading this section of the paper, that you are currently delaying doing something you really ought to be focusing on? I don’t mean to lecture you. I myself currently have an Oliver Spencer tab or two open on my browser. I spent most of last Wednesday Googling the viability [...]
A-SOS call: Four factors to blame for star online retailer’s shock profit warning December 17, 2018 Online fashion darling Asos' shares fell to their lowest since February 2016 this morning after a shock profit warning. Chief executive Nick Beighton said he's "astonished by an unprecedented level of discounting, something I've not seen before". At the time of writing, Asos was down more than 41 per cent to 2,439p. Here are four factors that led to Asos' [...]
The new Brexit Wars episode is out: May the force be with you December 17, 2018 Maybe it’s just me, but the Stormtroopers in the new Star Wars movies never seem to have the same menace as the old ones. Last week, Jacob Rees-Mogg and his colleagues in the eurosceptic European Research Group (ERG) of the Conservative party looked like they believed that they had gone old-school – Empire Strikes Back. [...]
Businesses on both sides of the Channel are fighting for a strong future relationship December 17, 2018 A week is a long time in politics, but the last seven days have felt like an age. The postponement of the Brexit vote, the Prime Minister’s trip to Brussels to try to secure further concessions, then her survival of no confidence by Conservative MPs in the span of a week is remarkable even by [...]
UK export growth contracts for first time since 2015 as European economies face turmoil December 17, 2018 UK export growth has dropped to its lowest level since 2015 as political uncertainty and falling demand take their toll on European economies. The growth of UK exports fell by 0.7 points to 94.9 in the fourth quarter 2018, according to figures from BDO’s latest European Export Index. The UK is not the only European [...]
Will Tony Blair help or hinder the campaign for a second referendum? December 16, 2018 Of the four living former Prime Ministers, three are united in vocal and (to a varying degree) active opposition to current government policy. John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have taken very different approaches to life after Downing Street but what unites them now is support for a second referendum. Major has called for [...]
Downing Street denies reports of preparing no-deal Brexit holiday warnings December 16, 2018 Downing Street has denied reports that the government is to suggest families do not book holidays after 29 March amid preparations for a no-deal Brexit. The Sunday Times reported that the government was supposed to discuss the contingency plans at last week's cancelled cabinet meeting after May received a vote of no confidence in her [...]
Theresa May attacks Tony Blair for ‘subverting’ Brexit process with call for a second vote December 16, 2018 Theresa May has launched a stinging attack on former Prime Minister Tony Blair, branding his efforts to bring about a second referendum an “insult to the office he once held”. The Prime Minister, who has endured a string of recent setbacks including defeats in parliament, a leadership challenge and a difficult trip to Brussels, accused her [...]