Clegg: Lib Dem policy on airport expansion makes no sense to me October 7, 2014 LIBERAL Democrat leader Nick Clegg has admitted that his party’s decision not to back airport expansion in the south of England doesn’t make sense. His comments came after the decision, reached after a vote at the party’s annual conference in Glasgow, received fierce criticism from business groups, which wrote it off as damaging. John Cridland, [...]
US lending data disappoints as Fed officials play down rate hike October 7, 2014 US CONSUMER credit failed to meet expectations for August and increased far less than expected, according to experts. Growth for July was also revised lower, the Federal Reserve said yesterday. The news will force economists in America to look on the pace of economic expansion with caution and has led to calls for the Fed [...]
Cable: Tories are lying about not hiking tax October 6, 2014 BUSINESS secretary Vince Cable came out swinging yesterday, accusing the Conservatives of lying to the electorate by promising not to raise taxes to balance the books. In an on-message speech at the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow, Cable said his party would raise taxes and cut spending to deal with the deficit, adding that anything [...]
Poll bump will put a smile on Cameron’s face as Labour slips October 6, 2014 A NEW poll put the Conservatives ahead of Labour by two percentage points for the second time in as many days last night, following both party’s annual conferences. A survey by Lord Ashcroft put the Tories on 32 per cent with Labour trailing by two points on 30. Nigel Farage’s Ukip polled 17 per cent, [...]
Lib Dem party conference: Vince Cable warns exports hampered by carbon levies October 5, 2014 Business secretary Vince Cable has warned that the carbon price floor, a green levy that hits energy-intensive businesses hardest, is holding back UK exports. Speaking at a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat annual conference in Glasgow yesterday, Cable said the tax is hampering businesses who can’t compete with their counterparts abroad. “Many of our [...]
Lib Dems told to stop tinkering with pensions by industry body October 5, 2014 The Liberal Democrats were rapped over the knuckles by the insurance industry yesterday after the party proposed to reduce the amount of pension pot money on which tax relief could be claimed. Huw Evans, deputy director general at the Association of British Insurers, called the proposal to reduce the lifetime allowance from £1.25m to £1m [...]
Confidence in UK economy soars among Scots following independence referendum No vote October 5, 2014 Consumers in Scotland are feeling more confident in the UK economy following the No vote in the independence referendum last month, new research has found. A survey by Barclaycard shows confidence in the economy rose from 30 per cent to 40 per cent following the vote, with the number of households expecting to have to [...]
Investment banking fees jump 13pc on bumper IPO year October 2, 2014 A bumper IPO season has caused investment banking fees to rocket by 13 per cent compared to the previous year, new research has shown. A study by Thompson Reuters shows investment banks made $68.8bn (£42.69bn) during the first nine months of 2014, the strongest period since 2007 before the global financial crash. Research by EY [...]
Defiant Clegg prepares to get tough on Tories October 2, 2014 LIBERAL Democrat leader Nick Clegg will kick off his party conference in Glasgow tomorrow with a defiant message to the Conservatives, who stole his thunder with a pledge to increase the tax-free personal allowance if elected in 2015. Clegg will focus on his party’s offer of opportunity for all, but will refuse to rule out increasing [...]
Conservative party conference: David Cameron promises £7bn in tax cuts for 30m people October 1, 2014 David Cameron yesterday fired the general election starting gun, issuing an emotional and impassioned speech in which he pledged to increase the tax-free personal allowance by £2,000 and raise the 40 per cent income tax band to £50,000. The tax giveaways are set to benefit 30m people, but will cost the Tories £7bn if they [...]