The costs of running a business in London are starting to outweigh the benefits February 28, 2017 The late, great Robin Williams once said: “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party’.” When the chancellor stands up to deliver the last ever Spring Budget next week, however, small businesses in London are likely to be putting party plans on hold unless Philip Hammond can pull the miraculous business rates “rabbit out of the [...]
With the deal looking dead, is the likely failure of the LSE-Deutsche Boerse merger good news for London? February 27, 2017 Daniel Hodson, former chief executive of LIFFE and non-executive director of The London Clearing House, says Yes. At the heart of both the rationale and risk to London for this transaction is clearing. The London Clearing House (LCH), 57 per cent owned by the London Stock Exchange (LSE), is a City icon, a multitrillion highly [...]
The RMT is balloting London Underground workers for strike action over the “victimisation of Tube staff” February 27, 2017 More London Underground walkouts could be on the horizon as the RMT union has announced it's balloting station staff for strike action and action short of a strike. The RMT said it will be balloting station staff across its London Bridge group after one member was fired and two others disciplined for intervening to stop a "serious [...]
“World War II shell” found in Shoreditch High Street was not an explosive device, police say February 27, 2017 Shoreditch High Street was evacuated earlier this morning after a suspected World War II shell was discovered there – but police later said the item was not suspicious. Police were called at 8:35am to Shoreditch High Street, near the junction with Hackney Road, E1 "to reports of ordnance", a spokesperson said. Officers and specialist officers attended the [...]
London Stock Exchange expects the EU to block its £21bn mega-merger with Deutsche Boerse February 27, 2017 The London Stock Exchange’s controversial £21bn merger with Deutsche Boerse was thrown into chaos late on Sunday night, after it emerged that regulators in Brussels are likely to block the deal. Shares in the LSE tumbled by more than three per cent this morning after it revealed in a bombshell statement to the market that it [...]
Uber takes on TfL in High Court over English language requirements February 26, 2017 The car-booking firm Uber joins forces with three of its drivers this week to launch a High Court challenge to English language tests for minicab drivers. Under the proposals, put forward by Transport for London (TfL), private-hire drivers without UK qualifications will have to take a two-hour test to demonstrate their English language skills. Yet [...]
Five people have been taken to hospital after a car crashed into pedestrians in South East London February 26, 2017 Five people have been taken to hospital after a car crashed into a group of pedestrians in Bellingham, in South East London. The Metropolitan Police said officers were called at 8.20am today, after reports of a car collision with a wall and a number of pedestrians on Bromley Road. BELLINGHAM: Bromley Road is closed due [...]
The UK’s terror threat is at its worst since the 1970s, says the new terror watchdog February 26, 2017 The UK's new terror watchdog has said we're facing the worst threat since the IRA was at its peak in the 1970s. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Max Hill said Isis is planning "indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians" in cities across the UK. "In terms of the threat that’s represented, I think the [...]
London mayor blasted for “spectacularly ill-judged” Scottish independence comments February 25, 2017 London mayor Sadiq Khan has left Scottish politicians flabbergasted after comparing nationalism north of the border with racism. Khan is today in Perth, speaking at the Scottish Labour Party conference, and is to deliver a speech that doesn't pull any punches, according to the Daily Record: There’s no difference between those who try to divide [...]
UK stamp prices will increase by 1p from March, the Royal Mail has said February 24, 2017 The Royal Mail has announced the price of stamps in the UK are due to increase by 1p from the end of March. In a statement today it said first class stamps will rise to 65p, while second class stamps will rise to 56p. Meanwhile, the price of a large letter first class stamp will [...]