Coutts’ Farage decision is a blunder but it’s none of Sunak’s business July 20, 2023 Coutts should have the ability to decide who it grants its services to. But essential to financial services are really boring things like certainty, predictability and trust.
Farage: Government right to consider Natwest licence over Coutts brouhaha July 20, 2023 Nigel Farage has praised the Government following reports ministers are considering making new laws to stop banks closing customers’ accounts because they disagree with their political views. The former Ukip leader said MPs are “beginning to realise that this system is coming for them as well” after his bank accounts were closed by Coutts because his views [...]
What does Susan Hall’s selection mean for London? July 19, 2023 The Conservatives have selected former London Assembly group leader Susan Hall to run against Labour’s Sadiq Khan in the mayoral elections next year. For anyone who’s not been following the process, it has been somewhat of a rollercoaster. Murmurings started some months ago with reports CCHQ were on the hunt for a quasi-celeb, someone with [...]
Coutts treatment of Farage ‘ought to jeopardise’ Natwest’s bank licence, senior Tory says July 19, 2023 Top Tory MPs have piled pressure on Coutts and its owner Natwest after the private bank reportedly closed Nigel Farage’s account because his views do “not align with our values”. Former Brexit secretary David Davis said the decision amounted to “thinly veiled political discrimination” and called it a “vindictive, irresponsible and undemocratic action”. Speaking during [...]
Insurance chiefs back new Solvency II investment forum to help deliver £100bn in investment July 19, 2023 The heads of the UK’s major insurance firms have written in support of a new Investment Delivery Forum to help drive investment following the reforms to Solvency II. Established by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) earlier in July, the forum is designed to tackle the investment gap preventing investment from the insurance and long-term [...]
Farage claims documents show Coutts closed his accounts for political reasons July 19, 2023 Former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said he has obtained documents that show his accounts with the private bank Coutts, a unit of taxpayer-backed bank Natwest were being closed primarily for political reasons. In a video posted on Twitter on Tuesday, Farage said he received a 40-page document from Coutts after filing a “subject access [...]
Susan Hall selected as Conservative mayoral candidate July 19, 2023 Susan Hall has been selected as the Conservative London mayoral candidate. Hall, a former City Hall Tory group leader, will take on incumbent mayor Sadiq Khan, who is pursuing a record third term, in the election next year. She secured 57 per cent of the vote, beating rival candidate Moz Hossain, on 43 per cent, [...]
Confirmed: Jaguar owner Tata to build £4bn battery factory in the UK July 19, 2023 Jaguar Land Rover’s owner has confirmed it will invest £4 billion to build a gigafactory in the UK, in a major boost for the British automotive sector and following months of speculation. Tata Group – the Indian conglomerate who have owned JLR since 2008 – said that its investment in the new 40GWh battery plant [...]
The competition watchdog is plagued with a knee-jerk belief that ‘big is bad’ July 19, 2023 The CMA's u-turn on the Microsoft/Activision deal is a sign that the competition regulator might be starting to understand its approach to Big Tech will bring no good to the UK, writes Cento Veljanovski
UK set to open trade negotiations with Turkey July 18, 2023 The UK is set to pursue a new trade deal with Turkey in an effort to deepen relations with the country, the government has announced. Negotiations on an updated free trade agreement are expected to begin in 2024 after the two countries agreed there was scope to improve the existing deal. Britain’s trade with Turkey [...]