ULEZ expansion ‘not the answer’: Rebel boroughs Harrow and Bromley warn Khan of impact on ‘poorest and vulnerable’ February 7, 2023 Harrow and Bromley councils have responded to a letter from Sadiq Khan over the expansion of ULEZ, warning of its impact on the poorest. Harrow councillor Paul Osborn wrote to Khan earlier this week, reiterating that the expansion of the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) to include the whole of Greater London was “not the answer” [...]
Bank chiefs hit back at accusations of profiteering on higher interest rates February 7, 2023 Chief executives from the UK’s four largest lenders today hit back at accusations from MPs that they were too quick to charge customers more interest on their mortgages without offering higher rates on savings accounts. The bank chiefs were asked why interest rates on instant savings accounts remain around one per cent while the Bank [...]
Lidl boasts £10m sales growth after winning shoppers from M&S, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s February 7, 2023 The value retailer praised its fruit and veg range for the year on year increase – with its market share for vegetable shopping reaching a high of 10.2 per cent.
Nintendo vows to ‘energise’ its Switch console offering following £200m cut to full-year forecast February 7, 2023 Nintendo has cut its full year forecast blaming a drop off in demand for its Switch console. The Japanese company has dimmed its full-year forecasts to a net profit of 370bn yen (£2.3bn) for the year ending 31 March, down from 400bn yen (£2.5bn) predicted last November. In the trading update, the video games manufacturer [...]
UK house prices slow to three-year low as cost of living crisis drags down London and South East property market February 7, 2023 In London, house prices fell from £541k to £530k iin January, with annual house price inflation flat at 0.0 per cent compared to 2.9 per cent in December.
Retail experts warn of ‘challenging’ months ahead as sales growth slows February 7, 2023 Senior retail figures have warned that the coming months will be “challenging” for the sector, after sales slowed over January, falling below the three-month average growth of 5.2 per cent to 4.2 per cent Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive at British Retail Consortium (BRC), said consumer confidence remains “stubbornly low” and looming rises in household [...]
Sadiq Khan warns rebel boroughs against challenging ULEZ expansion February 6, 2023 Sadiq Khan has warned a number of rebel boroughs against challenging the London-wide expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, or ULEZ, saying their case was “wholly without merit and misconceived.” Four Conservative boroughs sent a pre-action letter to Transport for London (TfL) on 13 January, challenging Khan’s decision to expand the ULEZ to Greater [...]
The Notebook: Victoria Scholar on tech stocks, strikes and cheap cars February 6, 2023 Falling out of love with Big Tech US technology giants have been reporting their latest financial earnings in recent weeks with a mix of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Until the turn of 2021/22, Big Tech was a firm favourite among investors, scoring impressive share price gains in the years building up to [...]
Energy crisis: Can someone shine a light on the Bulb takeover deal? February 6, 2023 Octopus' takeover deal for Bulb is set to cost the taxpayer much less than originally feared, but the deal remains shrouded in secrecy.
Explainer: British Gas and other energy firms under the spotlight for prepayment meters February 3, 2023 This measure is considered a “last resort”, but it was found to be used routinely. Arvato, the contractor used by British Gas, incentivised its debt collectors to force-fit the meters through bonuses. Energy companies apply to magistrates’ courts to get the warrants they need to force entry into homes. The number of these warrants rose [...]