Post-Brexit reforms: Hunt aims to ‘turbocharge’ economy with biggest banking shake-up in 30 years December 9, 2022 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has unveiled plans to “turbocharge growth” with the biggest shake-up in banking reforms for three decades. His so-called Edinburgh reforms announced this morning seek to “seize the benefits of Brexit” by cutting EU red tape for the financial sector. The new measures build on the government’s Mansion House 2021 package, with a [...]
Hunt to unveil post-Brexit Big Bang 2.0 for UK financial services industry December 8, 2022 Jeremy Hunt will finally unveil the government’s plans to shred EU financial services laws today as he proposes a package to boost the City’s global competitiveness post-Brexit. Hunt will deliver the landmark announcement in Edinburgh this morning, with the chancellor set to drop Solvency II capital requirements on insurance firms and ease current bank ring-fencing [...]
Whitty report says toxic air pollution down 44 per cent in central London thanks to ULEZ December 8, 2022 London has emerged as a “world leader” in tackling toxic air pollution according to a new report by chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty. His latest findings reveal the dangers of pollution in the capital, but show Nitrogen Dioxide (No2) concentrations by roads are down a fifth in inner London and 44 per cent in [...]
Sunak convinces US to double its gas exports to UK to slow sky-high energy bills December 7, 2022 Under fresh plans to clamp down on the rising cost of living across the UK, the government has convinced the Biden administration to double US gas exports to Britain. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged that the new partnership to boost energy security, efficiency and affordability will cut prices for Britons and ensure the UK’s national [...]
Macron on Musk: EU officials raise concerns over Twitter December 1, 2022 Top European officials have warned Elon Musk to play by its rules as concerns around hate speech and disinformation amplify. EU commissioner for digital policy Thierry Breton told the new social media owner that he would need to boost efforts to protect users. The bloc recently introduced the Digital Services Act, which is due to come into force next year and aims [...]
Elon Musk’s brain chip company to start trials in humans in next six months December 1, 2022 Elon Musk’s ambitious brain chip company Neuralink is hoping to begin human trials in the next six months. Neuralink had initially planned to start trials in human brains later this year, but Musk announced today that that plan has been pushed back into 2023. “We are now confident that the Neuralink device is ready for [...]
Optimism abounds in OBR forecasts, but just how feasible are they? November 28, 2022 When former Tory chancellor George Osborne created the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) in 2010, he was unlikely to have envisioned it would become the source of financial market turmoil. But, that upheaval was not the budget watchdog’s fault. Instead, it was former prime minister Liz Truss and ex-Number 11 incumbent Kwasi Kwarteng’s disdain toward [...]
Sadiq Khan presses ahead with London-wide ULEZ expansion November 25, 2022 Sadiq Khan has pressed ahead with his decision to expand the ultra-low emission zone London-wide from next August. The ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) is aimed at cleaning London’s air, forcing vehicles that don’t conform to the environmental standards to pay a daily £12.50 to enter. It will also help relieve congestion in the capital. The [...]
‘Is that it?’: Gove unable to say how Brexit ‘made business easier’ when asked six times on R4 November 24, 2022 Principal Brexiteer michael Gove was unable to name a ‘single benefit’ of Brexit, as business leaders warn of continued economic strain. The levelling up secretary appeared to falter while speaking on Radio 4’s Today Programme this morning, asked no less than six times how firms would benefit from the UK’s departure from the EU. This [...]
Twitter’s top advertisers leave en masse following Musk entrance November 23, 2022 Twitter’s top advertisers are leaving the social media firm en masse, as Elon Musk’s grand plans scare away marketeers. More than a third of Twitter’s top 100 marketers have not advertised on the Elon Musk site in the last two weeks, according to analysis from the Washington Post. The analysis from Pathmatics data reckons that [...]