Auto industry pleas for zero-tariff deal as Brexit prep bill passes £735 million November 10, 2020 The UK auto industry has issued a last-chance plea for a zero-tariff, zero-quota trade deal, as the UK-EU free trade talks enter the final stretch. The plea comes as a survey from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has revealed the cost to the sector for preparing for Brexit has surpassed £735 million [...]
Spending slipped ahead of lockdown but takeaways and web services stayed popular November 10, 2020 Spending slipped ahead of lockdown but takeaways and web services stayed popular
Ukrainian businessman allegedly asked to invent dirt on Hunter Biden November 10, 2020 Ukrainian businessman Hares Youssef has alleged he was promised a US visa in return for information that would damage Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. Speaking on the Stories of our Times podcast, Youssef alleged he was asked to lie about Hunter Biden’s business dealings to damage the reputation of Joe Biden. In return he was promised [...]
Trump sacks defence secretary Mark Esper November 9, 2020 Donald Trump has sacked US defence secretary Mark Esper and replaced him with National Counterterrorism Centre director Christopher Miller. The US President took to Twitter to announce: “Mark Esper has been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service”. In a separate tweet Trump added: “I am pleased to announce that Christopher C. [...]
KPMG to sell restructuring arm to win more work November 9, 2020 Audit giant KPMG is to sell its restructuring arm because conflicts of interest and regulatory scrutiny are preventing it from winning work. In an email to colleagues KPMG UK chairman and senior partner Bill Michael said that concerns relating to conflicts of interest arising from its existing work was likely to “limit the restructuring clients [...]
Winners and losers: Stocks soaring AND plummeting as Pfizer reports Covid-19 vaccine breakthrough November 9, 2020 US pharma giant Pfizer reporting today that early studies of its Covid-19 vaccine are 90 per cent effective has sent markets into a frenzy, with travel and hospitality stocks shooting up while food delivery services and video conferencing software providers plummeted. Jet engine maker Rolls-Royce saw the biggest change on the FTSE 100, surging 43 [...]
English airports will close without government support, AOA warns November 6, 2020 The Airport Operators Association (AOA) has written to the Prime Minister to call for urgent support to help protect airports following restrictions on international travel announced as a part of England’s second national lockdown. In a letter to Boris Johnson the trade body said airports would like to remain open throughout the lockdown, but without [...]
Republican civil war looms as Trump stance splits party November 6, 2020 With Democratic candidate Joe Biden closing in on a 2020 election victory, senior figures in the Republican party are split on whether to back Trump as he pedals baseless claims about election fraud. In the last 24 hours Donald Trump has spread falsehoods about the legitimacy of the 2020 election, having claimed mass election fraud [...]
Lockdown expected to delay client results and accounts, KPMG says November 6, 2020 The current national lockdown across England is expected to delay the announcement of results and accounts of clients, KPMG UK has said. The Big Four firm told City AM it is expecting and preparing to delay the announcement of results and accounts of some of the entities it audits. England entered a second national lockdown [...]
Deloitte fined for pension scheme audit failures November 6, 2020 Big Four firm Deloitte has been fined £362,500 for failures relating to the audit of a former client’s defined benefit (DB) pension scheme and the carrying value of the company’s intangible assets. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) described the former client as one of the largest local and regional multimedia organisations in the UK responsible [...]
