Water firms ordered to strengthen supply plans by Ofwat or have their profits slashed March 2, 2023 Ofwat has demanded water companies toughen up their plans to secure reliable water services in the coming decades.
Sue Gray, civil servant who chaired inquiry into Boris Johnson ‘partygate’, reportedly hired as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff March 2, 2023 Top civil servant Sue Gray who carried out the partygate inquiry has reportedly been hired as Keir Starmer’s new chief of staff. Gray has quit her Cabinet Office post, according to the PA news agency, and is reportedly set to take up the key role in Sir Keir’s operation. It comes as Labour tries to [...]
Pulp bassist Paul Mackey dies aged 56 as Jarvis Cocker’s band to play shows in 2023 March 2, 2023 Steve Mackey, the bass guitarist of Britpop band Pulp, has died aged 56. The group, who formed in Sheffield in 1978 and were known for their hits including Common People and Disco 2000, announced on their Instagram page that the musician died on Thursday. Alongside a photo of Mackey climbing in the Andes, the band [...]
Jack Dorsey’s Block puts £2m into Birmingham community lender breaking ‘new ground’ for industry March 2, 2023 A not-for-profit community lender in Birmingham has received £4m in funding, including £2m from ex-Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s company, in a sign the local finance sector is set to enter a new phase. Block Inc, a mobile payments firm set up by Dorsey in 2009, is providing £2m to ART Business Loans, representing its first [...]
Explainer: Why are teachers on the picket line today? March 2, 2023 Today is the last of a three-day teachers’ strike in England and Wales. As with all the strikes we’ve grown accustomed to, this dispute is about pay. Today’s walkouts affect the South of England and Wales, with many schools in London having to close their doors. Several schools have been able to offer classes only [...]
Electronic Trade Documents Bill: A transformation of trade in the Fourth Industrial Revolution March 2, 2023 Lord Holmes of Richmond praises the intentions of the Electronic Trade Documents Bill - a solution to many problems for international trade.
Flutter shares tumble after World Cup wins knock profit March 2, 2023 The gambling business behind Paddy Power and Betfair saw its shares tumble almost five per cent, after the company missed 2022 earning estimates due to customers winning bets during the Fifa World Cup. Flutter Entertainment, which also owns Sky Betting and Gaming, was predicted earlier this year by Bloomberg analysts to gain EBITDA of £1.7bn [...]
Hong Kong stock exchange operator to open London office March 2, 2023 Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) confirmed today that it will open an office in London in the first half of 2023. It said the new office will expand the group’s international reach and promote greater global connectivity. HKEX chief executive Nicolas Aguzin, said: “HKEX has strong ties with the financial community in London through [...]
Boris Johnson says he will find it ‘very difficult’ to vote for Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal March 2, 2023 Boris Johnson has said he will “find it very difficult to vote for” Rishi Sunak’s deal on post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland. The former Prime Minister has raised concerns about Sunak’s Windsor Framework which aims to resolve the power-sharing deadlock in Stormont. In a Westminster speech today, he said: “I’m going to find it [...]
UK Finance: Square Mile HQ targeted by Extinction Rebellion as six arrested March 2, 2023 The headquarters of UK Finance in the heart of the Square Mile have been targeted by environmental group Extinction Rebellion. The Bank-based trade association for UK banking was today targeted with paint and stickers, as protestors read out statements and stuck themselves to windows. Police arrested six members of the group after the building was [...]