Woo the EU? Theresa May should take tips from the dating game September 26, 2018 Winning votes in an election is a lot like dating. I was explaining the principles of campaigning during a Westminster Foundation seminar in Ghana when one of the young candidates hit on this perfect analogy for electoral success. When you start dating someone, you are keen to establish common interests. “You like Love Island? [...]
No-deal Brexit border delays could prompt wave of bankruptcies says poll September 26, 2018 Delays of even half an hour at the border in the event of a no-deal Brexit could prompt a wave of bankruptcies for firms relying on cross-border supply chains, a poll to be published today will show. As many as one in 10 British supply chain managers say their businesses could go bankrupt if [...]
Theresa May claims ‘no deal’ is better than a Canada-style agreement with the EU September 25, 2018 Theresa May has claimed a Canada-style free trade agreement with the EU is worse than no deal in comments which infuriated Brexit-backing Conservatives. Speaking at the beginning of a two-day trip to New York, May shot down a proposal backed by her former Brexit Secretary David Davis that the UK should negotiate a looser [...]
UK private equity deals slump as Europe hits post-crisis high September 25, 2018 UK private equity deals slumped over the last three months while European buyouts hit a post-crisis high, according to new statistics. There were 46 buyouts of UK companies in the third quarter of this year, down on the previous three months, which was the most successful period for volume and value since 2007. Just €19bn (£17.01bn) of deals have been completed [...]
LSE Group appoints financial services veteran Marshall Bailey as LCH Group chairman September 25, 2018 London Stock Exchange Group has appointed financial services veteran Marshall Bailey as chairman of its clearing business LCH Group. The move, which is effective immediately, will see current LCH Group chairman Lex Hoogduin step down after three years in the role. Read more: Activist Hohn reduces stake in London Stock Exchange Group The business has become central to debates about the [...]
Keir Starmer goes rogue in conference speech, refusing to rule out Remain in a new vote September 25, 2018 Remaining in the EU must be an option on the ballot paper in any new referendum, Labour's shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said on Tuesday. Speaking at his party's conference, Sir Keir got a standing ovation from activists as he veered away from his planned speech to say staying in the EU could [...]
Patchy regulation prevents the world from reaping the full benefits of the markets September 25, 2018 Ten years ago today, the world woke to the news that yet another bank had collapsed. Washington Mutual was the latest casualty in what became the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Those events have cast a long shadow. Governments, businesses, and households have had to tackle the legacy of that crisis. As [...]
Forget economics, immigration policy is more about our values September 25, 2018 You're probably tired of me saying it, dear reader. But a big problem with supposed “evidence-based policy” is that the conclusions we derive from evidence often take our underlying aims for granted. If we’re considering a tax cut, no evidence-base showing that it could create a positive GDP effect will convince you if your [...]
Keir Starmer: Labour won’t back Tory Brexit deal September 25, 2018 Labour plans to vote against a Theresa May Brexit deal, as the party attempts to define its position on backing a second referendum. Claiming the Prime Minister’s Brexit negotiations “are in a complete mess”, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer called for a general election if she fails to reach a deal or if a [...]
An election is the last thing we need – and voters would punish politicians for calling it September 25, 2018 Theresa May’s Brexit negotiations with the European Union are going very, very wrong, and there is now speculation that the UK could be heading for a snap election — cue eyerolls and yawns nationwide. Both the ruling Conservatives and opposition Labour party appear to be considering the possibility of a snap election as early [...]