Boris Johnson to call for greater international cooperation in UN speech September 25, 2020 Boris Johnson will use his speech at the UN General Assembly on Saturday to call for greater international cohesion while also laying out a five-point plan to prevent future pandemics. The Prime Minister is expected to say that the coronavirus pandemic has created larger divides in geopolitics “at a time where closer collaboration is more [...]
FTSE 100 slips but US stocks rise amid Covid worries September 25, 2020 The FTSE 100 slipped but US stocks rose as European stocks headed for their worst week since June, with investors rattled by rising coronavirus cases. London’s blue chip index was down 0.1 per cent to 5,819 points as it approached the close, despite having opened higher. The FTSE 250 was up 0.8 per cent, however. [...]
Poll says Rishi Sunak the most popular chancellor in 40 years September 25, 2020 Big spender Rishi Sunak is the most popular chancellor since Labour’s Denis Healey in the 1970s, according to a new poll, which showed even Labour voters are pleased with his performance. Pollster Ipsos Mori said 64 per cent of the British public was satisfied with the way Sunak was running the economy as chancellor of [...]
Cardiff and Swansea heading into lockdown from 6pm tomorrow as Wales battles Covid-19 case resurgence September 25, 2020 The residents of Welsh cities of Cardiff and Swansea face tougher restrictions with a lockdown coming this weekend. The lockdown in Wales means people will not be able to leave the area or mix with other households in an indoor setting. The Welsh government announced local lockdown restrictions would be brought in for the capital Cardiff and [...]
Government borrowing jumps in August as Covid costs grow September 25, 2020 UK government borrowing shot up in August as tax receipts slipped and spending on coronavirus stimulus grew, the latest figures have shown. Public sector net borrowing jumped to £35.9bn, the third-highest monthly total and the highest August total on record, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. It compared with borrowing of £5.4bn in August [...]
Rishi Sunak ‘ready to do more’ if national Covid lockdown declared September 24, 2020 Rishi Sunak has vowed that he is willing to extend his newly announced wage subsidy scheme if a further national lockdown is implemented. Sunak today launched the Jobs Support Scheme, which will allow full-time workers to go back to work part-time and have the government help pay for two-thirds of hours they have lost. The [...]
Government eases pressure on small businesses with further loans support September 24, 2020 The government today rolled out a much needed lifeline for small businesses struggling to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic by loosening the terms under which they have to pay back emergency loans. Under the new scheme, dubbed “pay as you grow” by chancellor Rishi Sunak, all businesses who have borrowed money through the Bounce [...]
Economists raise fears over Rishi Sunak’s new job support plan September 24, 2020 Economists this afternoon raised concerns that Rishi Sunak’s new support measures could lead to many workers losing their jobs as they do not encourage firms to keep employees on. The centrepiece of the chancellor’s scheme is a new “Job Support Scheme”, which will replace the existing furlough initiative. Under the plan, the government will support [...]
Rishi Sunak’s new job support plan: What do the changes mean for workers? September 24, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed the £40bn furlough scheme will end on 31 October, to be replaced by a programme that will subsidise employees for part-time work. So what do the new measures mean for employees and employers? What will replace the furlough scheme? Sunak gave in to pressure to keep subsiding wages, creating a [...]
FTSE 100 and Wall Street drop as coronavirus fears return September 24, 2020 The FTSE 100 fell today after two consecutive days of climbs as investors’ nerves over the impact of coronavirus on the economy returned. London’s blue-chip stock index fell 1.1 per cent to 5,835 points by the mid-afternoon, while the mid cap FTSE 250 index fell by the same margin. Meanwhile, after a sharp sell-off on [...]