City grandee Cruddas made Tory peer despite Lords’ gatekeepers objections December 22, 2020 City grandee Peter Cruddas has been appointed as a Tory Peer after the Prime Minister stepped in to overrule the House of Lords Appointment Commission. The appointment of Cruddas, a banker and philanthropist who has given millions to good causes over the years, was questioned by the Commission over newspaper allegations around ‘cash for access’ [...]
City analysts wait for a Brexit deal too important not to be done December 22, 2020 City analysts continue to believe that a Brexit trade deal will be done, even as talks remain unfinished just 8 days before the UK’s departure from the EU. Fears of a so-called ‘no deal’ Brexit have hung over markets for more than four years, but many respected watchers simply believe a deal is too important [...]
UK headed for fresh produce shortages if Dover jam is not eased tomorrow December 22, 2020 The UK is heading for fresh produce shortages as soon as Christmas ends if the chaos at Dover is not eased in the next 24 hours. The UK has faced nearly 48 hours of chaos at the port of Dover after France shut its border with the UK, including to those carrying freight to the [...]
OBR: April furlough extension will cost further £3bn December 22, 2020 The Chancellor’s decision to extend the furlough scheme an extra month will cost an extra £3bn, according to new official figures. Rishi Sunak has extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until the end of April, one month later than had been originally planned. Sunak also announced that the Government’s three loan schemes would be extended [...]
Royal Mail settles industrial dispute over pay and operational changes December 22, 2020 Royal Mail has reached an agreement with its largest union, the Communication Workers Union after a two year dispute over strategy and pay. “Royal Mail and CWU have committed to rebalance our focus and resources from the declining letters to the rapidly growing parcels marketing, creating a more efficient business that is better aligned to [...]
Germany bans UK travellers until January 6 amid mutant strain fears December 22, 2020 Germany has gone further than other EU countries in barring UK travellers until January 6 amid fears of the new Covid-19 mutation. EU countries put in place a temporary ban yesterday until midnight tonight after PM Boris Johnson warned a new strain found in the UK was more easily transmissable. Read more: All EU countries [...]
Some 1,500 trucks stacked up at Dover as chaos continues December 22, 2020 There are now around 1,500 lorries parked up in side streets, on motorways and in laybys as chaos continues at the port of Dover. On Sunday France made a surprise decision to shut its border with the UK, in an attempt to stop a new, more infectious variant of the coronavirus spreading through the country. [...]
Control or catastrophe? Farage, fortune, freedom and a £199 subscription December 22, 2020 For the small price of £199 a year, promises Nigel Farage, you can “take back control” of your finances. Gold, real estate trusts, even a crypto revolution – all are tickets to an independent financial future, all stamped with the Brexit Party founder’s seal of approval. Or, at least, that’s the idea. But the jury [...]
Why now is the time to stand up for British farming December 22, 2020 The farming sector has been challenged. Huge surges in demand at the peak of the pandemic for products such as minced beef (to account for the rise in batch cooking) have been matched by extremely low demand for more premium cuts usually reserved by restaurants, impacting the value farmers received for their livestock. Read more: [...]
Exclusive: Banks failing to prioritise the climate will lose customers, survey shows December 22, 2020 Customers are expecting more from their banks when it comes to climate change and could lose out to more green competitors if they fail to prioritise the environment. Some 71 per cent of UK banking customers are more likely to choose a bank with a positive social and environmental impact, according to new research from [...]
