A wholesale improvement is the only way for UK banks to weather the Eurozone storm December 21, 2011 FOR the past fifteen months, the Bank of England (BoE) has been backpedalling. Instead of coasting, the UK economy has stalled. The government’s bold and sensible plans for budget deficit reduction are broadly on track for the next few months, but will not remain so unless the central bank shapes up to the challenge of [...]
Much racism has been booted out but don’t give up December 21, 2011 AS FOOTBALL settles down to the news that two of its stars are being disciplined over racist epithets hurled on the field of play, it could seem like a return to the bad old days, when clear racism was a regrettably commonplace part of the game. The decision by an independent regulatory commission of the [...]
Banking reform should rule out more bailouts December 21, 2011 THE rescue of Northern Rock, and the subsequent injections of taxpayers’ money into RBS and the forced merger of HBOS and Lloyds, stemmed from a clear failure of Ed Balls and Labour’s tripartite regulatory structure for financial services. And when a Liberal Democrat trade secretary and a Conservative chancellor came together to try to agree [...]
RAPID RESPONSES December 21, 2011 Move on accounts Surveys demonstrate that individuals and small businesses alike are often dissatisfied with their bank, and yet they are still overwhelmingly unlikely to change provider. Genuine account portability would radically improve matters. Sir John Vickers has called for the formation by September 2013 of a free current account redirection service, that allows the [...]
Ten of the top givers in the City December 21, 2011 AS we now know from the tremendous response to this newspaper’s first ever Christmas charity appeal, the City is full of givers. Despite the tougher times many of our readers have experienced, as a group this year they dug in to support a charity that helps people help themselves. This page is a tribute to [...]
Carve yourself a very merry Xmas December 21, 2011 IN the Lord Byron room of Brown’s Hotel on Albemarle Street, a slow-grown just-roasted chicken rests on a bespoke stand and our mission is to carve it – properly. Mark Hix, ex-chef-director of Caprice Holdings, is hosting a masterclass to revive “the lost art of carving”, and he is teaching over a long roast lunch [...]
Suarez guilty and banned for eight matches December 20, 2011 Liverpool striker found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United’s Evra, but his club look set to appeal after releasing strongly-worded response LIVERPOOL last night launched a passionate and vehement defence of Luis Suarez after the striker was handed an eight-match ban having been found guilty by the Football Association of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice [...]
Kean on the brink as Coyle enjoys the spoils December 20, 2011 BLACKBURN 1 BOLTON 2 BLACKBURN manager Steve Kean edged closer to the sack last night after the club’s fans staged angry demonstrations against him and owners Venky’s before, during and after last night’s defeat against relegation rivals Bolton. First half goals from Mark Davies and Nigel Reo-Cocker put the visitors, who had lost their previous [...]
Everton manager Moyes warns Chelsea they’ll have to spend big to tempt Rodwell away from Goodison Park December 20, 2011 CHELSEA have been warned they will have to spend big in January once again if they want to prise England youngster Jack Rodwell from Everton. Toffees manager David Moyes yesterday dismissed suggestions of a £20m bid from Stamford Bridge for the 20-year-old midfielder, who won his first senior cap against world champions Spain last month. [...]
Wenger forced to seek cover after Gibbs setback December 20, 2011 ASTON VILLA ARSENAL ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger admits he may be forced to dip into the emergency loan market after a setback suffered by Kieran Gibbs deepened his full-back crisis. Wenger had predicted England international Gibbs, who has been out of action since the middle of October with a stomach muscle injury, would make his [...]
