More than 70 MPs write open letter to BBC director general accusing the broadcaster of bias in its Brexit coverage March 21, 2017 A group of more than 70 MPs have published a letter to BBC director general Tony Hall attacking the broadcaster's Brexit coverage and warning that it could "undermine our efforts to carve out a new, global role for this country". "It particularly pains us to see how so much of the good economic news we've has [...]
It’s time for the Prime Minister to do a U-turn of her own on students being included in the net migration target March 16, 2017 “You turn if you want to,” Margaret Thatcher famously told her critics, nearly 37 years ago. “The lady is not for turning.” The quotation has gone down in political folklore, an encapsulation of the former Prime Minister’s uncompromising and determined approach to government. Number 10 Downing Street’s current incumbent was compared to the late Baroness Thatcher [...]
Time for chancellor Philip Hammond to tinker about with his National Insurance plan March 13, 2017 Philip Hammond is unlikely to have enjoyed a peaceful weekend following his debut Budget last week. The chancellor has been on the end of a daily kicking since he announced a tax rise for self-employed workers, with some Conservatives questioning whether his political judgement is strong enough to hold such a senior position. One can [...]
Why we should cheer on chancellor Philip Hammond -aka Spreadsheet Phil – during today’s Spring Budget March 8, 2017 Cast your minds back to November 2015, when George Osborne was still chancellor of the exchequer and Brexit was merely a twinkle in Boris Johnson’s artful eyes. Osborne was under pressure to scrap his proposed cuts to tax credits following an intense political storm. Fortunately for David Cameron’s right hand man, the government’s fiscal watchdog presented [...]
BT must innovate to win over more football fans and justify its lavish £1.2bn outlay on Champions League rights March 7, 2017 The business of football TV rights used to be relatively simple. There were rights to show live games, and rights to show highlights. For years, Sky dominated the live market, crushing a series of challengers with its financial fire-power and superior coverage. Highlights were often reserved for traditional free-to-air TV channels such as ITV and [...]
Questions raised after Jeremy Corbyn’s tax return fails to include income as leader of the opposition March 6, 2017 Embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn appeared to make another gaffe last night, publishing a tax return that does not include his salary as head of the opposition. "I have made it clear that I think it is right for party leaders to be open and transparent about their tax affairs," Corbyn said. However, the document does [...]
Exclusive interview with Christian Horner: Formula One’s new owners Liberty Media must grab bull by the horns, says team boss March 2, 2017 Turning into the Tilbrook business park on the outskirts of Milton Keynes, one feels a million miles from the glamour and pizzazz of Formula One – yet here lies the unassuming headquarters of Red Bull Racing, the team led by Christian Horner since its inception nearly 13 years ago. An opulent trophy wall greets visitors, [...]
Christian Horner says Formula One must attract more fans to keep Red Bull in the sport March 2, 2017 Christian Horner, principal of Red Bull Racing, has said his team could quit Formula One if the sport fails to attract more fans. Speaking to City A.M. ahead of Red Bull’s 13th season in F1, Horner said the company "will pay a very keen watching brief to see what is going to be the future [...]
The London Stock Exchange fiasco does not bode well for post-Brexit Brussels March 2, 2017 Breaking up is never easy. For London and Frankfurt's leading stock exchanges this week has been awkward enough, even though their sudden split occurred before they'd managed to tie the knot. Deutsche Boerse's Carsten Kengeter is none too happy about being abandoned by his proposed merger partner. Yesterday's passive aggressive comments about the LSE's decision [...]
London Stock Exchange expects the EU to block its £21bn mega-merger with Deutsche Boerse February 27, 2017 The London Stock Exchange’s controversial £21bn merger with Deutsche Boerse was thrown into chaos late on Sunday night, after it emerged that regulators in Brussels are likely to block the deal. Shares in the LSE tumbled by more than three per cent this morning after it revealed in a bombshell statement to the market that it [...]