Flybe infected by aviation sector’s malaise March 6, 2020 As ministerial tweets go, the mid-January proclamation by the business and transport secretaries that Flybe’s future had been salvaged will surely endure as among the most ill-judged of Boris Johnson’s government. Barely 54 days later, Flybe has become just another corporate carcass, joining Monarch and Thomas Cook among the airlines which failed to cope with [...]
How better competition policy can restore public trust in capitalism March 6, 2020 Competition policy is not something most people spend much time thinking about. It’s a dry, legalistic area of policy that even elected officials themselves have largely preferred to delegate to technocratic regulators. Yet competition policy is an integral part of the lifeblood of capitalism. At a time when trust in the market economy is under [...]
If the chancellor stands up for small firms, he’ll be standing up for society as a whole March 6, 2020 Ever wondered how much small businesses hand over to the Treasury each year? Try £145bn in corporation tax and VAT alone. Factor in business rates, national insurance contributions, fuel duty, clean air charges and the insurance premium tax, and this big figure becomes, well, astronomical. We small business owners are resilient. We have continued to [...]
UK jobs market strengthens but IR35 looms March 6, 2020 UK companies took on permanent workers at a solid rate in February, survey data has shown, even as temporary billings fell ahead of upcoming IR35 legislation changes. The UK jobs market performed well in 2019 despite business investment and trade suffering under the weight of Brexit uncertainty. There were some signs it was beginning to [...]
Coronavirus and stormy weather dampen high street sales March 6, 2020 High street sales slumped for the seventh February in a row last month as coronavirus fears and stormy weather hurt footfall. In-store like-for-like sales dropped 0.9 per cent last month from a base of minus 3.7 per cent in February 2019 as shoppers abandoned the high street amid mounting fears over the outbreak of Covid-19. [...]
Economy will stall without London investment, says Centre for Cities March 6, 2020 A failure to invest in London’s transport infrastructure will constrain the UK’s economy going forward, according to a new report. The Centre for Cities transport report found London was “outgrowing its transport capacity” and that a lack of transport investment would result in a “hard [economic] landing”. The think tank calls for £31bn investment in [...]
The Simpsons WILL be on Disney Plus: Here’s the streaming service’s full list of shows March 6, 2020 Springfield super fans breathed a sigh of relief this morning after Disney revealed that The Simpsons will feature on its full list of content. The US media giant sparked outrage last month when the cartoon classic was omitted from an initial list of titles for its upcoming streaming service in the UK. But Disney today [...]
Entertainment sales hit £7.8bn as streaming growth continues March 6, 2020 Sales of video, music and games grew 2.4 per cent last year to hit an all-time record of £7.8bn, according to figures published today. The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) said the rising sales, which mark the seventh consecutive year of growth, was once again driven by the popularity of digital streaming. In 2019 streaming accounted [...]
National Infrastructure Strategy set to be delayed until after Budget March 5, 2020 The government’s National Infrastructure Strategy is expected to be postponed until after next week’s Budget. The delay will enable the new chancellor Rishi Sunak to refocus the strategy towards achieving a ‘net zero’ economy by 2050, after only stepping into his role last month. The detailed plan to invest £100bn by 2050 will be key [...]
Six Nations organisers had no choice but to postpone Italy v England over coronavirus but Saracens’ handling of Vunipola is ill-considered March 5, 2020 Coronavirus is all over the news at the moment and rugby is no exception after it emerged that England’s final Six Nations game against Italy had been postponed as a precaution. It is a shame for the tournament, which has been bubbling up nicely ahead of its conclusion next weekend, but organisers really had no [...]
