With Brexit done, the UK must pivot to Africa January 22, 2021 Divorce is painful, and Brexit was as acrimonious a separation as they come. Anglo-European relations will recover in time, but right now the UK needs friends outside of Europe. Boris Johnson knows this, so it was no surprise when he declared his ambition for the UK to be Africa’s investment partner of choice. “We in [...]
10.5m Brits could not last another month without income January 22, 2021 One in five of adults in the UK could not support their household for one month if they lost their source of income, a report revealed. After a third lockdown gripped the nation, 10.5m British adults have been found to have no financial buffer, digital financial coaching app Claro said today. With financial strain disproportionately [...]
UK PMIs: Economy slows more than expected in January January 22, 2021 The UK economy has slowed further than many expected in January, according to the leading economic index. Newly released UK PMI figures show the slowdown has been driven by a collapse in the services side of the economy. The overall PMI figure for January is 40.4, and 38.8 for services – the lowest reading for [...]
Nissan commitment a ‘vote of confidence’ in UK, says Johnson January 22, 2021 Boris Johnson has today hailed Nissan after the Japanese carmaker said that Brexit could be an “opportunity” for the firm. As a result of the free trade deal with the EU, Nissan said that the future of its plant in Sunderland was secure. It added that it would move additional battery production capacity to the [...]
UK appoints new ambassador to the EU January 22, 2021 The UK’s foreign office has appointed lifelong civil servant Lindsay Croisdale-Appleby as the country’s new ambassador to the EU. Croisdale-Appleby will take over the role, after former holder Sir Tim Barrow was shifted to a different civil service job. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said: “As we begin a new chapter in our relationship with the [...]
Pandemic costs: UK borrowing set to rise by another £31bn January 22, 2021 There has been a lot of chatter in recent months over the explosion in UK public debt as a result of the pandemic and the emergency measures taken by the UK government to support the economy. “This probably goes some way to explaining the rather erratic government response to the pandemic as the innate caution [...]
UK retail sales stage tentative recovery over Christmas January 22, 2021 Retail sales made a tentative recovery over the Christmas period as the UK emerged from its second national lockdown. Retail sales volumes rose 0.3 per cent in December following a 4.1 per cent fall in November as the country moved into the more relaxed tier restrictions. It is 2.7 per cent higher than February’s pre-lockdown [...]
Kwasi Kwarteng shouldn’t be ashamed of his free market principles January 22, 2021 New business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng MP is on paper one of the most pro-free enterprise ministers to run the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in years. He takes over the role at a time when businesses, of all shapes and sizes, are struggling. Many risk closure and collapse. So, he must use [...]
Brand Britain is stronger than you think – so let’s give it some welly on the global stage January 22, 2021 Let’s start with a couple of caveats. Firstly, I’m a resolute optimist – something I share in common with many adfolk. Advertising is not a great career choice for pessimists. Hope is more of a till ringer than gloom. Secondly, I’m proud to be British. Not in the jingoistic sense of the word, but in [...]
UK fish exporters to get up to £100,000 each for Brexit disruption January 21, 2021 Britain’s fish and seafood exporters who have faced post-Brexit disruption at the border will be able to claim a maximum of £100,000 per business as a part of a new £23m fund. James Quinault – one of the top civil servants at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) – told a parliament [...]