Sadiq Khan calls for Londoners to ‘support British businesses’ as restrictions eased May 17, 2021 Sadiq Khan has called on Londoners to “support British businesses” and to come back into central London as Covid restrictions are eased further in England today. Khan said people outside the capital should not despair about the limited opportunities to currently travel overseas and that “everything you need is in London”. Tens of thousands of [...]
Waterloo & City Tube line to reopen from 21 June May 15, 2021 The Waterloo & City line will reopen on 21 June, Transport for London (TfL) confirmed today, having been shut since the first coronavirus lockdown. The underground line, which connects the commuter hub at Waterloo with the Square Mile, is a vital artery for many who commute into the office. Upon reopening, the Waterloo & City [...]
Pension transfer scam crackdown risks delaying thousands of transfers May 14, 2021 The government tabled proposals to tackle pension scheme fraud today, but it could risk blocking or delaying thousands of legitimate transfers, AJ Bell’s chief executive has warned. The plans outlined by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) could push providers to ask people transferring to a pension scheme not on the government-approved ‘safe destination’ [...]
World Uyghur Congress hits out at City of London Corporation’s China stance May 14, 2021 A non-profit group representing the world’s Uyghur Muslims has accused the City of London Corporation’s bosses of siding “with oppressive Chinese forces” for not holding Beijing to account for its human rights abuses. The World Uyghur Congress sent a letter, seen by City A.M., to City of London Lord Mayor William Russell and the powerful [...]
Financial watchdog proposes stiffer ‘duty’ to beef up consumer protection May 14, 2021 The UK’s financial watchdog has tabled a proposal today for a stiffer “duty” on companies to protect consumers from scams and mis-selling. Mis-sold financial products, including endowment mortgages, pensions and payment protection insurance have plagued retail investors for decades. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the firms it regulates would need to follow the new [...]
London is ‘not safe for everyone all of the time’, Met’s Cressida Dick says May 14, 2021 Metropolitan Police commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has said this morning that the streets of the capital are “not safe for everyone all of the time”. Black communities and women and girls face inflated rates of violence, the commissioner said today, adding that nearly half of London’s homicide victims were Black. “If I look at victims [...]
Airline industry calls on the UK to lift borders like the EU May 14, 2021 Germany, Spain and Holland became the latest European nations to lift the shutters on travel restrictions yesterday, as the airline industry called on the UK to do the same. Still placing tough restrictions on arrivals, the UK has received calls from Ryanair and the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) for more clarity on travel. Ireland’s [...]
Alphawave shares lift slightly, after 22 per cent plunge in London stock market debut May 14, 2021 Following a turbulent market debut yesterday, Alphawave’s shares rebounded slightly in its second day of trading in the capital. The tech firm’s share price bounced to 366.2p per share this morning, down 1.03 per cent, after prices fell as low as 310.85p yesterday. Over half a billion pounds was wiped from the Canadian computer chip [...]
The UK’s lifting of restrictions could be delayed if variants and infections surge, minister says May 14, 2021 Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has warned today that there could be a delay in June’s lifting of restrictions if variants or infection rates become a problem. To avoid a postponement of the well-anticipated 21 June, Zahawi told LBC: “The way we don’t have to do that is by everybody doing their bit, by taking the [...]
Sage Group’s profits take a tumble but share price up on recurring revs spike May 14, 2021 Software giant Sage Group’s pre-tax profits sank 31 per cent to £190m in the first half of its financial year, as it wired investment towards its cloud software and took a hit from a fall in disposals. The group’s revenue also fell by 4 per cent to £937m, in the six months to the end [...]