Our post-Brexit relationship cannot be left in the hands of ideologues February 22, 2023 Cast your mind back to Christmas 2020. As most of us settled into the sofa for a Christmas behind-closed-doors, shuttle diplomacy saw the UK finally secure a Brexit deal with the EU on the country’s future relationship with the trading bloc. Boris Johnson hailed it as “glad tidings of great joy.” To all the world [...]
Next: Share price up for luxury interior brand Sanderson Design after £2.6m licensing deal February 22, 2023 The share price of luxury interior furnishings group Sanderson Design skyrocketed 12 per cent to 132.7pt this morning, after a £2.6M licensing agreement with London listed retailer Next was announced. The group will sell its Clarke & Clarke products, which includes wallpaper and rugs, in Next’s online and physical stores, with the deal meaning a [...]
Scottish Power owner Iberdrola expects hefty profit rise before windfall tax February 22, 2023 Scottish Power owner and Spain's biggest utility firm Iberdrola expects its net profit to increase by eight to ten per cent this year.
The Notebook: Victoria Scholar on a wave of bank results, Elon Musk, and a holiday read February 22, 2023 The Notebook is where interesting people say interesting things. Today it’s Victoria Scholar, head of investment at interactive investor, on bank results, Elon Musk and an unputdownable holiday read Bank on it? With UK banks currently reporting earnings, key themes so far have been rising interest rates, growing credit loss provisions, share buybacks, volatile financial [...]
Last orders? Pubs ‘won’t stay afloat’ without energy bill help in Spring Budget, hospitality bosses warn February 22, 2023 The hospitality sector has urged that many businesses “wont stay afloat” if the government does not look to provide extra support with soaring energy bills in its upcoming spring budget. “The steep increase in utility costs is having a significant impact on our business, it’s now one of the largest cost to manage,” Simon King [...]
UK will become ‘innovation wasteland’ if Hunt pushes through R&D tax relief cuts, FSB warns February 22, 2023 The UK will become an “innovation wasteland” if the government pushes ahead with plans to slash research and development (R&D) tax relief, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned. The UK’s largest business group urged ministers today to reverse plans to gut the R&D tax relief scheme, announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in November, [...]
Future’s bright: Digital media giant behind Marie Claire and GoCompare names new CEO February 22, 2023 Future, the media company which owns brands including Marie Claire and GoCompare, has unveiled its new chief executive. Jon Steinberg will join Future on 3 April, following the resignation Zillah Byng-Thorne last September, following a decade at the helm. The company was founded in 1985 and has more than 220 companies, ranging from magazines and [...]
Flagship £450m green energy boiler scheme needs urgent reform to prevent it failing, Lords committee warns February 22, 2023 The government’s boiler upgrade scheme is failing to deliver on its objectives, warned the environment and climate change committee.
Partygate: High Court to hear challenge against Met over probe into Johnson’s lockdown party attendance February 22, 2023 The High Court will hear the first stage of a challenge against the Metropolitan Police over the force’s investigation into former prime minister Boris Johnson’s attendance at Number 10 parties during lockdown. Johnson received a fixed penalty notice (FPN) over a birthday party in the Cabinet Room in June 2020, but faced no further action [...]
Hundreds of jobs at risk as Chinese-owned British Steel set to announce closure of Scunthorpe plant February 22, 2023 Unions fear British Steel is set to announce the closure of coking ovens at one of its plants, with the loss of hundreds of jobs as the company warns it faces “significant challenges”. Union officials were told earlier this month the Chinese-owned company was considering closing coke ovens at its site in Scunthorpe. An announcement [...]