Decline in London’s business activity eases as economy reopens July 13, 2020 There was a marked easing in the downturn in business activity across the capital last month, as the economy picked up and lockdown restrictions loosened. Natwest’s London Business Activity Index – which monitors the combined output of London’s manufacturing and service sectors – rose from 30.3 in May to 46.2 in June. Anything below 50 [...]
‘Limited time’ left for details of post-Brexit regional funding schemes, says IFS July 13, 2020 The European regional development funding schemes will soon wind down but the government is yet to confirm details of its proposed replacement. With less than six months until the UK leaves the EU, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has called on the government to reveal its intentions for the Shared Prosperity Fund. A new [...]
City Corporation asks residents and businesses to help with climate change work July 13, 2020 The City’s governing body has today launched an online survey on climate change as part of plans to launch a Climate Action strategy later this year. The City of London Corporation is developing a draft Climate Action strategy in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and be climate resilient in the future. The survey asks [...]
Brexit: A quarter of British businesses ready for end of transition period July 13, 2020 Less than a quarter of British business leaders are ready for the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December, according to a new survey. A new survey from the Institute of Directors out today showed just 24 per cent of company directors thought their businesses were “fully prepared” and 19 per cent are [...]
High street footfall suffers even as retail starts to reopen July 13, 2020 The woes of the British high street continued as June footfall dropped to less than half the level of last year, even as stores started to reopen. June saw an annual decline of 56.6 per cent in June, according to data from retail intelligence firm Springboard, but it was a marked improvement on the year-on-year [...]
An open letter to the PM: Britain must build Sizewell C — nuclear sits at the heart of a green recovery July 12, 2020 An open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, business secretary Alok Sharma, and chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak We are writing as engineers, nuclear experts, scientists and concerned citizens to applaud your commitment to fighting climate change through energy policy, in particular the commitment to proceed with new nuclear construction at the same time [...]
The City View: With Stefan Boscia July 12, 2020 Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS In today’s podcast, Andy Silvester is joined by City A.M.’s political reporter Stefan Boscia as we review the Sunday papers in light of the summer statement – and look ahead to tax rises, deficits and the political ramifications. Andy also discusses the Facebook boycott, Primark’s decision not to take [...]
Liberal Democrats secure coronavirus briefing with Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey July 12, 2020 Liberal Democrat MPs will get a briefing from Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey on Thursday in order to get a more “realistic” view of the British economy. The closed door meeting will give the party’s 11 MPs a chance to quiz the Bank of England boss about the UK’s economic recovery prospects and the [...]
Labour to boycott Facebook for one month over BLM concerns July 12, 2020 Labour has begun an advertising boycott of Facebook, after the platform has been accused of not removing racist posts in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests. The party, which spent more than £1m on Facebook advertising during the last election, will not use the social media giant to place ads for the next [...]
Rishi Sunak eyes post-Brexit tax cuts for UK ‘freeports’ July 12, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak will reportedly look to slash taxes and red tape to a cluster of cities and towns next year to provide a post-Brexit economic boom for Britain. The Sunday Telegraph reports that Sunak is drawing up plans to create 10 “freeports” in towns and cities across the UK where they will see sweeping [...]
