At least 40 Tory MPs ‘ready to block’ Theresa May’s Chequers Brexit plan October 9, 2018 Fellow Conservatives are prepared to vote down Theresa May’s Chequers plan if it forms the basis of a deal with the EU, a Tory MP claimed today. At least 40 Tories will rebel against an agreement shaped around the Prime Minister’s Chequers blueprint, if it leaves the UK “half in, half out” of the EU, [...]
Forget Brexit, there’s a reason India’s top tech entrepreneurs are flocking to Britain October 9, 2018 | City Talk Trade between Britain and India looks like it is about to take an almighty hit. Both sides are in a state of stalemate over a trade deal, and huge Indian companies are issuing warnings about investing in the UK post-Brexit. But scratch beneath the surface, and trade between the country of my birth and the country [...]
A transition agreement would be enough to calm business nerves October 9, 2018 Two reports published yesterday paint radically different pictures of the future for post-Brexit Britain. This quarter’s Deloitte CFO survey makes for troubling reading. Concern over Brexit is at a record high, with 79 per cent of CFOs expecting a deterioration in the business environment, and just 12 per cent thinking now is a good time to [...]
Give businesses a tax-break to encourage investment, CBI tells Chancellor ahead of Budget October 9, 2018 Philip Hammond is under growing pressure to hand businesses a tax-break in the upcoming Budget to boost competitiveness. The CBI today echoed calls from the British Chamber of Commerce to increase the amount firms can invest without being taxed. The Annual Investment Allowance currently stands at £200,000 a year, but the CBI is calling for [...]
London VC firm Mosaic Ventures closes $150m second fund for startups October 8, 2018 London-based venture capital (VC) firm Mosaic Ventures has today announced the close of its second fund, Mosaic II, at $150m (£115m) for startups across the capital and beyond. Intending to cut cheques at series A-stage for between $3m and $7m, Mosaic Ventures has previously backed the likes of London automated mortgage broker Habito, crypto wallet Blockchain and period-tracking app [...]
Former top strategic adviser joins firm aiming to ‘open up’ emerging markets to British businesses October 8, 2018 Two former top strategic advisers have joined a newly-launched business intelligence firm, which will help British groups in “opening up” emerging markets to business. CTD Advisors, which launched in London last Monday, will offer advice to firms targeting countries such as India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Nigeria, using experts from a variety of fields. Read more: [...]
Jaguar Land Rover to shut Solihull factory for two weeks amid trade tensions and weak China demand October 8, 2018 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is set to shut down its Solihull plant for two weeks, blaming economic uncertainty and dampened demand for its cars in China. Staff will be sent home on full pay for a fortnight from 22 October as the British car manufacturer stops producing any vehicles, as it tries to match supply to [...]
Downing Street plays down EU rhetoric on a Brexit deal being close October 8, 2018 Downing Street today called for actions, not words from the EU as the clock ticks down on the Brexit talks. Speaking ahead of a crunch summit in Brussels next week, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said there are still "big issues" to be worked out before a deal can be agreed between the UK and [...]
Brand Boris: Johnson needs to shed his disrupter image if he wants to become a leader October 8, 2018 There was a particularly pithy Tweet doing the rounds just after the Conservative party conference last week: “in summary: Boris’s speech not good enough for him to take over; May’s not bad enough to be kicked out”. So, was Boris Johnson really just one speech away from leadership? Possibly. Because Boris, just like Donald Trump, “has [...]
Both sides would lose out from a no-deal Brexit October 8, 2018 As MPs return to the House of Commons this week, a plethora of pressing issues will have built up during party conference season. One topic, of course, that will inevitably continue to dominate the political landscape over the coming weeks and months is Brexit. Negotiations are entering a critical phase, with less than six months [...]