Theresa May to urge MPs to get on with Brexit amid fiery row over legal advice December 3, 2018 Theresa May will urge MPs to get on with Brexit on Tuesday amid accusations the government is in contempt of Parliament for refusing to publish the full legal advice on her deal. A row broke out in the Commons on Monday on the eve of the debate on the Prime Minister’s EU withdrawal plan, culminating with the government’s [...]
The City is the goose that lays the golden eggs December 3, 2018 The Financial Conduct Authority has taken its boldest step yet into the debate about banks' Brexit contingency plans. In a letter to lenders the City watchdog warned that it will not accept “steps being taken which could expose clients or markets to unacceptable risks.” Specifically, the FCA warns that they will intervene if they suspect [...]
Support your local small business all year, otherwise it might not stick around December 3, 2018 American Express’s Small Business Saturday last weekend saw a call to arms to encourage us to shop locally and support small businesses. Since its launch in 2010, this annual event now reaches millions of people across the US, UK and Australia, helping independent retailers get their share of the Christmas spending frenzy. Small Business Saturday [...]
Regulator the Financial Conduct Authority warns banks about moving business away from the UK because of Brexit December 3, 2018 Regulator the Financial Conduct Authority has written to banks warning them about moving business away from the UK because of Brexit. Banks have been opening European subsidiaries and moving staff to locations that will remain inside the EU post-Brexit such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Dublin to ensure they are able to service customers after the UK [...]
Manufacturing PMI offers ‘crumb of positive news’ amid lacklustre conditions and Brexit uncertainty December 3, 2018 The UK manufacturing sector offered “a crumb of positive news” this morning as it announced the rate of improvement for business conditions improved slightly in November, but remained relatively subdued as the inflow of new export orders fell further. This month’s IHS Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to rose to a two-month high of [...]
Trade is a long game, so we must look beyond FTAs and make marginal gains December 3, 2018 New York and London frequently vie for the crown when it comes to the title of the world’s leading financial centre. But as well as competing, we share a special relationship. The Big Apple was the first stop on my visit last week to the United States, which came at an opportune moment as the [...]
Heed Hammond’s warning: We must not be prisoners of change December 3, 2018 Britain has become a single issue nation. So all-consuming have the ins and outs of Brexit become that the national debate seems incapable of concentrating on anything else. Which was why it was so surprising when Philip Hammond spoke to a small business audience last week and didn’t drop the B-word once. In so doing, [...]
Pubs reap rewards of World Cup summer as third quarter beer sales grow, but Brexit uncertainty looms December 3, 2018 The haze of a long, hot World Cup summer drove British drinkers to buy more beer in the third quarter than the year before for the first time in more than 15 years. UK pubs saw beer sales grow 0.9 per cent year on year from August to October, with around 941.5m pints changing hands over [...]
Embankment traffic harming 15,000 east London businesses, study warns December 2, 2018 Heavy traffic on the Embankment is causing serious economic harm to east London businesses, a new study has warned. Research by transport economists Volterra Partners revealed the removal of a traffic lane on the A3211, which runs between Westminster Bridge and Tower Hill, has significantly increased journey times. Volterra partners said increased congestion has meant [...]
Private sector growth slows amid ‘lacklustre’ conditions as Brexit uncertainty weighs on firms December 2, 2018 Private sector growth slowed in the quarter to November amid “lacklustre” conditions, with activity relatively stable compared to a rise in previous monthly figures. According to a survey from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the balance of firms reporting a rise in output was two per cent in the three months to November, down [...]