Tories slam Khan over zero strikes vow and “woeful” understanding of London transport January 9, 2017 London mayor Sadiq Khan has been slammed by London and home counties Tories over today's tube strike, with Khan accused of a “woeful” understanding of the capital's transport. Tube station workers have been on strike throughout the day, with many Londoners suffering extended commutes both to and from work. Although the strike formally finishes at [...]
Martin McGuinness resigns as Northern Ireland deputy first minister January 9, 2017 Northern Ireland's deputy first minister Martin McGuinness has resigned. McGuinness has helped to lead the assembly in Belfast since 2007, but is stepping down over first minister Arlene Foster's handling of a growing scandal involving incentives provided to businesses to use renewable heat systems, such as biomass boilers, on their premises. In his resignation letter, McGuinness said: [...]
Nuclear strike: Decommissioning workers to vote on industrial action over pensions January 9, 2017 The UK could be facing industrial disputes at nuclear power plants after unions agreed to ballot decommissioning workers over a potential strike. Workers at plants including Sellafield could launch industrial action after the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority kicked off a statutory consultation over changes to final salary schemes for staff at 19 sites across the UK. Read more: Engineering union Prospect swells to [...]
Theresa May calls for a “new partnership” with employers on mental health January 9, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May has called for a "new partnership" between government and industry on mental health as part of a speech laying out her broad agenda for the UK. Speaking at the Charity Commission today, May brought together housing, mental health, industrial strategy and Brexit as part of her programme to create a "shared society". [...]
Sterling’s post-Brexit vote collapse failed to provoke a foreign takeover rush January 9, 2017 The dramatic reductions in the value of the pound since last summer's Brexit vote has failed to attract overseas bidders to UK businesses, according to new figures. The number of British firms acquired by foreign businesses actually dropped in the second half of 2016, research from accountancy Moore Stephens shows. There was a 30 per [...]
Half of London businesses say cutting migration would hit the capital’s economic growth January 9, 2017 Cutting immigration into the UK would have a negative impact on London's economic growth, according to just over half of the capital's businesses. A survey of just over 500 firms by the London Chamber of Commerce and Innovation in November found 52 per cent warning against barriers for new migrants coming into the city. And [...]
Office life hits workers in their wallets with an annual average bill of £1,000 January 9, 2017 Office workers spend more than £1,000 a year on items including birthdays, figures from Nationwide Current Accounts show. Nationwide polled 2,000 office workers on the cost of after work drinks, charity donations, birthday presents, coffees and more. Clothes and bags generated the greatest average bill with £120, while drinks cost of £102. Other costs included contributions [...]
It’s not just Brexit: Southern Europe’s debts and nationalist movements raising concerns among Europe’s bosses January 9, 2017 Corporate concern is growing over levels of debt in southern Europe, according to new research. A survey of more than 800 business leaders in the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Germany found a majority in each country believe debt levels are unsustainable. Concern was greatest in the UK and Italy, where more than 70 per [...]
Boris Johnson heads to New York for talks with the Trump team January 8, 2017 Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has jetted to the US to meet senior members Donald Trump's incoming administration, but he won't get to meet the president-elect himself. Johnson arrived in the US earlier today, and will meet with two of Trump's advisers in the president-elect's head of strategy Steve Bannon and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is a [...]
Tory MP demands a probe of the Treasury’s Brexit sums January 8, 2017 A member of parliament’s public spending watchdog is demanding the National Audit Office question doom-laden Brexit predictions. The Treasury issued a series of warnings ahead of the referendum, and now Tory Brexiteer Charlie Elphicke is calling for a probe. Elphicke, who sits on the Public Accounts Committee, said the bleak scenarios had not come to pass, [...]