Housebuilding set to drop 35 per cent in 2020, says report April 27, 2020 Coronavirus lockdown measures will mean 35 per cent fewer houses will be built in the UK in 2020 than originally planned, according to a new report, a fall likely to add to the stresses in the British housing market over the coming years. Property consultant Knight Frank predicted in a new report that around 104,000 [...]
Retailers call on government to withdraw ‘disastrous’ business rates bill April 27, 2020 A coalition of retail organisations today called on the government to ditch a business rates bill they say would be “disastrous”for the high street. The Non-Domestic Rating (Lists) Bill brings forwards the next revelation of business rates for 2.08m non-domestic properties in England and Wales to 1 April 2021. If the bill receives asset, it [...]
Exclusive: Liberal Democrats push government to set clear coronavirus loan scheme guidelines April 26, 2020 The Liberal Democrats have led a group of 25 cross-party MPs in demanding the government sets uniform lending requirements for its coronavirus business loan scheme in order to increase the speed at which banks approve loans. Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse wrote to business secretary Alok Sharma to urge him to “specify a minimum level [...]
Support for government’s coronavirus response falls for second straight week April 26, 2020 Public support for how the government is handling the coronavirus crisis has fallen for the second week in a row, according to a new poll. An Opinium poll out tonight showed that public approval for the government and its handling of the crisis was down to +21, after it was +31 two weeks ago. However, [...]
Angela Merkel seeks to impose financial transactions tax on EU countries April 26, 2020 Germany will seek to impose a financial transactions tax, minimum tax rates and an EU-wide healthcare system on member nations during its upcoming six-month presidency of the bloc. The revolving presidency of the Council of the European Union allows individual countries to set the EU’s agenda during the six months of their stint. German chancellor [...]
Brazil’s Embraer blasts Boeing after $4.2bn deal scrapped April 26, 2020 Brazilian aircraft company Embraer today attacked Boeing after the US company yesterday pulled the plug on a $4.2bn (£3.4bn) deal to buy its commercial jets division. In a statement, Embraer said: “Embraer believes strongly that Boeing has wrongfully terminated the MTA [master transaction agreement], that it has manufactured false claims as a pretext to seek [...]
Coronavirus: UK has lowest single day death toll since March April 26, 2020 The UK has recorded another 413 deaths from coronavirus today – the lowest single day figure this month. The latest figure brings the country’s Covid-19 death toll, from hospital patients, to 20,732. National medical director of NHS England Stephen Powis said at today’s press briefing that the country was beginning to see drops in the [...]
Tata Steel seeks £500m in government cash for Port Talbot plant April 26, 2020 Tata Steel needs £500m from the government to survive the coronavirus economic slowdown, MP for Aberavon Stephen Kinnock said. Kinnock asked first secretary Dominic Raab in parliament last week to lift the amount lent to businesses under the coronavirus large business interruption loan scheme (CLBILS) from £50m to £500m to help Tata Steel with lost [...]
BoE boss Andrew Bailey: Bank keeping ‘eyes open’ ahead of next meeting April 26, 2020 Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey has said Threadneedle Street is keeping its “eyes open” for risks to the economy or financial system ahead of its next scheduled interest rate decision on 7 May. Bailey also highlighted the huge amount of uncertainty the UK economy still faces. “No one can be sure exactly how the [...]
UK orders 50m coronavirus immunity tests April 26, 2020 The UK has reportedly ordered up to 50m new coronavirus immunity tests which would help quickly assess if people could go back to work. The Mail on Sunday reported that a team of British scientists were developing a test which could mean that by June people could reliably find out if they have developed immunity [...]
