NHS to deliver vaccines to low-uptake communities in a Ford van May 7, 2021 Ford and the NHS in Essex have joined forces with local health leaders to roll out a vaccine drive using a tailored Transit van to deliver jabs. Despite the UK’s successful vaccine rollout, vaccine uptake is lower among some communities facing access challenges, which the vaccine drive seeks to tackle. “Our goal of giving everyone [...]
Ericsson and Samsung ink deal to end global patent dispute May 7, 2021 Ericsson and Samsung have signed a multi-year agreement on global patent licences between the two companies, ending a legal battle that hit the Swedish firm’s first-quarter revenue. In a statement this morning Ericsson said the cross-licence agreement covers sale of network infrastructure and handsets from the beginning of this year. The two tech firms have [...]
Blackstone makes £1.2bn offer for property developer St Modwen May 7, 2021 Property developer St Modwen today said that private equity firm Blackstone had made a potential takeover offer, valuing the British firm at around £1.2bn. The London-listed company said the possible cash offer of 542p per share was a premium of about 21 per cent to the stock’s last close. St Modwen Properties said its board [...]
British Airways owner IAG posts €1.1bn loss as passengers remain grounded May 7, 2021 British Airways owner IAG today reported an operating loss of more than €1.1bn for the first quarter as the pandemic kept passenger numbers low. Passenger capacity for the first three months of the year was 19.6 per cent of 2019 due to government restrictions and quarantine requirements. IAG hopes to push passenger numbers up to [...]
SOX or no SOX? The focus on internal control is here to stay May 7, 2021 The UK Government is considering whether to introduce something along the lines of SOX. Regardless of where we end up following the current consultation process, it will almost certainly not be the end of the debate on internal control. More than twenty years have passed since the corporate collapse of Enron. The response of the [...]
The French fishermen blockade in Jersey was a political spectacle – but we’re all sour on the Brexit deal May 7, 2021 Brexit provided a bright spotlight for ports and shipping. The latest dramatic escalation of tensions as French fisherman turned up, armed with flares, at the Jersey port of St Helier, has once again thrown fishing onto centre stage. Jersey is an easy target. They rely on an undersea cable, connected to France, for their electricity. [...]
Exclusive: Business group urges government to launch Covid bonds in ‘war-style’ recovery plan May 7, 2021 The government should issue Covid recovery bonds to finance the UK’s “war-style” post-pandemic recovery, according to family business organisation the Independent Business Network. The business group, which represents family owned or run firms across the country, said the government should abandon inflationary Quantitative Easing and introduce the bonds instead. In a letter to the Prime [...]
Taxman chasing Gary Lineker for £5m over IR35 dispute May 6, 2021 The taxman is pursuing Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker over a tax bill of £4.9m, linked with IR35 legislation. Lineker, who is self-employed, set up a partnership with his former wife in 2012, which he used to channel his earnings from BT Spot and the BBC. According to tax tribunal documents, published last [...]
‘Super Thursday’ UK elections: What time will the winners be announced? May 6, 2021 Elections have been conducted across the UK today in the biggest electoral test since 2019, with results set to be announced over the next few days. The results will tell us a lot more about the mood of the country, including how much cut through Sir Keir Starmer has had with the UK electorate since [...]
G7 nations urged to boost climate funding for poor nations as Merkel says Germany made ‘fair contribution’ May 6, 2021 Germany and Britain are piling pressure on other G7 nations to boost the funding they provide for climate action in developing countries this decade. Ahead of this week’s Petersberg Climate Dialogue, climate and development experts and former U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon had urged Germany to commit to doubling its public climate finance by 2025 to [...]
