Link chief John Howells on bank branch closures, payments and the battle for cash June 8, 2023 Link's chief John Howells says the nation can't "abandon" its cash users.
Housebuilder: Truss mini-budget bruised consumer confidence – and cost us sales June 8, 2023 Property developer Crest Nicholson has reported shrinking sales amid “rapidly” falling consumer confidence and rising borrowing costs, following the September mini-budget. The firm said its revenue fell by more than a fifth to £282.7 million in the six months to the end of April, from £364.3 million the prior year. The decline reflected economic uncertainty [...]
Sunak in DC: Britain to host AI summit amid creators’ ‘nuclear war’ risks June 8, 2023 The UK will host the first global summit on artificial intelligence (AI) safety, Rishi Sunak announced ahead of talks on the issue with Joe Biden. The summit, which will be held in the autumn, will consider the need for international co-ordinated action to mitigate the risks of the emerging technology. Ahead of Thursday’s meeting with [...]
Boris ‘hosted friend’ at Chequers during lockdown – reports June 8, 2023 Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie hosted a close friend at Chequers in May 2021 for an overnight stay while some Covid-19 restrictions were still in place, according to reports. A spokesman for the former prime minister said that the visit was “entirely lawful”, after The Guardian newspaper reported that events organiser Dixie Maloney stayed [...]
Regulator plays sheriff as it takes on crypto marketing ‘wild west’ June 8, 2023 Crypto firms face a regulatory clampdown in the UK this year as the City watchdog cracks the whip on the “Wild West” landscape of crypto marketing. In a new set of rules announced today, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it will force crypto firms to introduce a “cooling-off” period, during which time consumers can [...]
The Notebook: Globalisation, vertical farming and indy cafes June 8, 2023 The Notebook is where interesting people say interesting things. Today it’s Edwin Morgan from vertical farmers Harvest London. Globalisation, as we once knew it, is dead”, the shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves boldly proclaimed to an audience in Washington last week. The speech was as much about keeping Labour in the news as it was a [...]
UK will have to spend £9bn more in foreign gas if it fails to ramp up heat pumps June 8, 2023 A lack of government ambition in ramping up the installation of heat pumps, will force the UK to spend a further £9bn on extra gas imports.
Labour market loosens as UK records surge in job seekers following hiring slowdown June 8, 2023 The UK’s labour market recorded a surge in candidates looking for roles last month amid a continued slump in hiring, easing the rate of starting salary inflation. The supply of labour in the UK increased for the third month in a row, with the rate of people looking for jobs increasing at its fastest rate [...]
Labour’s plan for growth doesn’t work, as Starmer’s stance on energy shows June 8, 2023 Keir Starmer wants to achieve growth, but he's not explaining where he'll get the money for the initial investment. Labour's plan for growth is flawed, especially the part about energy, writes Will Cooling
Don’t trust every “recyclable” logo you see: greenwashing is rife in construction too June 8, 2023 If you think greenwashing is limited to retail or fashion, think again. It's rampant in the construction industry. So buying the right materials requires a lot of diligence, writes Victoria Brocklesby
