Prime Minister David Cameron pledges £17m to France to deal with migrant crisis in Calais at press conference with French President Francois Hollande March 3, 2016 Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to give France another £17m to deal with the migrant crisis in Calais. In a joint press conference with French President Francois Hollande today, Cameron said that the money would be used to help move people from the refugee camps in Calais to other migrant facilities in France. "If they [...]
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn insists that Labour and British businesses are “natural allies” while slamming the City of London March 3, 2016 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has used his first major speech to a business audience since taking the reins of the Labour party last year to insist that his party and British businesses are "natural allies". "In the twenty-first century the role of government is to understand these connections and make policy to fit," Corbyn said in a speech at the [...]
EU referendum: British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) boss John Longworth says Brexit would make Britain better off March 3, 2016 Britain would be better off outside of the European Union, British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) director-general John Longworth has said, becoming the first major business group leader to back Brexit. "With the reforms that we have received so far, the UK would be better off taking a decision to leave the European Union," Longworth told [...]
London airport expansion: Former Bank of England deputy governor Rachel Lomax says ministers risk squandering infrastructure investment March 3, 2016 A former deputy governor of the Bank of England will today urge the government to "grasp the nettle" on airport expansion or risk undermining investor confidence in the new National Infrastructure Commission (NIC). In a speech at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) annual conference today, Rachel Lomax, who is a non-executive director at Heathrow [...]
Business secretary Sajid Javid fires the starting gun on Green Investment Bank sale for private investors March 2, 2016 Business secretary Sajid Javid has fired the starting gun on transferring the Green Investment Bank (GIB) to private ownership. Speaking at the Lord Mayor’s Trade and Industry dinner at Mansion House tonight, Javid said that the government will tomorrow invite private sector investors to register their interest in the bank, which specialises in investments in [...]
EU referendum: Lord Mayor Jeffrey Mountevans says Britain is better off in the European Union ahead of controversial City of London Corporation vote March 2, 2016 The leader of the City of London Corporation has come out in favour of Britain remaining in the European Union, on the eve of a divisive vote among the Corporation's members. "Britain is better off in," Lord Mayor Jeffrey Mountevans said in a speech to City leaders at Mansion House tonight. Mountevans said the future of London's [...]
EU referendum: Boris Johnson has 21 point lead over George Osborne in race to replace David Cameron as Tory party leader after he backs Brexit March 2, 2016 London mayor Boris Johnson has a double-digit lead over chancellor George Osborne in the race to be the next Tory leader, according to new poll figures out today. YouGov surveyed more than 1,000 Conservative party members for the Times newspaper, finding 43 per cent of members backed Boris to be the next Tory leader, compared [...]
EU referendum: BlackRock says Brexit comes with “big risk” and “little reward” March 2, 2016 BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, has warned that Britain leaving the European Union would come with "big risk" and "little reward". In a paper for clients released this week, senior BlackRock employees, including vice chairman Philipp Hildebrand, chief macro strategist Rupert Harrison – a former adviser to chancellor George Osborne – said that while the asset manager [...]
UK house prices: Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) says government failure to confront Nimbys is fuelling the housing crisis March 2, 2016 A leading free-market think tank has accused the government of yielding to self-interested local residents at the expense of pressing ahead with major housebuilding projects. In a new report out today, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) argues that the government’s “failure to tackle the housing crisis is due to its unwillingness to confront the [...]
EU referendum: More than 30 City figures make final effort to stop City of London Corporation from endorsing the UK staying in the EU March 2, 2016 Dozens of City figures have made an eleventh-hour attempt to stop the City of London Corporation from campaigning for Britain to remain in the European Union. In a letter seen by City A.M., more than 30 Square Mile grandees, including former chancellor Lord Lamont, CMC Markets founder Peter Cruddas and Risk Capital Partners chairman Luke [...]