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 [...]
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 [...]
Five charts that explain the case for emerging markets October 8, 2018 | City Talk Investors generally understand the importance of emerging markets in terms of their economic impact but, perhaps due to lack of knowledge, often struggle to know how best to reflect this in their portfolios. Those investors have ignored what are some of the world's best-performing financial markets since the turn of the millennium. What is more, [...]
French Connection founder Stephen Marks could sell 42 per cent stake, company confirms October 8, 2018 The founder of French Connection is looking to sell, 46 years after creating the fashion brand, the company has confirmed. Stephen Marks is looking to offload his 42 per cent shareholding and has started approaching potential buyers. The company said it is “currently reviewing all strategic options in order to deliver maximum value for its [...]
Manufacturing props up UK output growth as business optimism wanes October 8, 2018 British business output growth is being propped up by the resilient performance of the manufacturing sector, despite ongoing uncertainty. Though still falling below long-term trends, output held steady in September, while business optimism declined, according to BDO’s latest Output Index. Read more: Lloyd's boss 'accelerates' Brussels operation amid no-deal fears The manufacturing sector, which makes [...]
Crossrail faces handover to government if costs continue to rise October 7, 2018 The government could take over the reins of Crossrail from its fellow joint sponsor Transport for London (TfL) if a lid is not kept on the costs of the £15.4bn project. The Sunday Times first reported that in Crossrail's sponsor agreement, signed in 2008, there is a clause that entitles the Department for Transport (DfT) [...]