Government denies reports that Cop26 climate summit could be postponed March 31, 2021 The government has denied reports today that the UN Cop26 climate summit in the UK could be postponed past November. A report from Sky News today suggested that Boris Johnson was trying to keep the Glasgow summit on-track for November, but that options were being considered to postpone it or conduct it virtually in the [...]
Exclusive: Royals recruited to help fight post-Brexit rivalry with Emmanuel Macron March 31, 2021 The Royal Family have been drafted in by the government to help attract more firms to the UK post-Brexit and to help fight a growing rivalry with Emmanuel Macron, after the French President put on a series of events aimed to steal investment away from the UK. The Royals will co-host a green investment summit [...]
UK vaccine passport app could become ‘honeypot’ for hackers, says former top government cyber adviser March 31, 2021 A potential UK vaccine passport is in danger of becoming a “honeypot” for hackers, rogue states and cyber criminal organisations, according to one of the government’s former top cyber security advisers. Peter Yapp, ex-deputy director of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), told City A.M. that a vaccine passport app could be an easy target [...]
London business confidence ticks up in first quarter of 2021 March 31, 2021 Business confidence in London improved during the first three months of 2021, after reaching its lowest point since the 2008 global financial crisis. A new survey by Savanta ComRes/the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry has revealed that 29 per cent of business leaders in the first quarter of 2021 said London’s economic prospects will [...]
UK tells G7 that it’s time to ‘get tough with China’ on trade March 31, 2021 The UK’s global partners need to “get tough with China” on its unfair trading practices, according to international trade secretary Liz Truss. Truss has called for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to be reformed and for China to stop designating as a developing country within the body, which means it benefits from looser rules on [...]
UK and EU financial services pact sets up two meetings a year between regulators March 30, 2021 The new post-Brexit financial services agreement will ensure regulators from the UK and EU meet twice a year, but will stop well short of implementing any new access arrangements. Officials from the Treasury have been speaking with Brussels about a financial services Memorandum of Understanding over the past three months, after there were no provisions [...]
Calls grow louder for government to create green fund for UK’s steel industry March 30, 2021 The government is under growing pressure to bring forward a £250m green fund for the UK’s steel industry to help rescue the ailing industry. The Clean Steel Fund was originally announced in 2019 by the government in a bid to reduce carbon emissions in the sector through new business invesment. However, the fund is not [...]
Uber Boat chosen by TfL to run Hammersmith Bridge ferry service March 30, 2021 Uber Boat has been chosen by Transport for London (TfL) to run a Thames ferry service alongside the closed Hammersmith Bridge. The boat service, operated by Thames Clippers, will take up to 800 cyclists and pedestrians across the river at a time between 6am and 10pm daily. Uber’s ferry service is expected to be up [...]
Strong West End recovery vital for City of London’s future, says Khan March 30, 2021 The UK’s financial services sector will be irreversibly damaged if the West End does not have a strong recovery and Frankfurt is left to scoop up City of London jobs, according to Sadiq Khan. Khan today called out the government for not providing targeted funding for central London, which has been adversely affected by Covid-19, [...]
Sadiq Khan pledges ‘Good Work Fund’ to reskill Londoners post-Covid March 30, 2021 Sadiq Khan has today promised to spend £32m on four skills academies that he is calling a “Good Work Fund” if he is re-elected in May. The mayor said his plan would “help coordinate skills, careers and job-related support so there is no wrong door for Londoners seeking employment assistance”. The funding would come from [...]
