Britain ‘formally confirms’ it will not extend Brexit transition period June 12, 2020 Britain has “formally confirmed” to the EU that it will not extend the Brexit transition period beyond the end of this year. Making the announcement this morning, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said “the moment for extension has now passed,” following a video meeting of the EU Joint Committee. The announcement follows a call for [...]
Brexit trade talks: UK ‘U-turns’ on full border checks for EU goods June 12, 2020 The UK government has reportedly U-turned on its plan to implement full border checks with the EU from 1 January 2021 after Brexit. Ministers are under increasing pressure from businesses not to deliver a no-deal Brexit as the UK’s recovery from coronavirus looks likely to be a slow one. So far Boris Johnson’s government has [...]
UK economy shrinks 20 per cent in April lockdown in worst ever month June 12, 2020 The UK economy shrank by a record 20 per cent in the first full month of lockdown as shops sent workers home to close for the duration of April. Activity in the UK economy contracted by 20.4 per cent in April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said today, marking the single largest monthly drop [...]
Brexit vs. Business: Thanks to Covid-19, we’ll never know who was right June 12, 2020 Let’s start with some good news: Unilever has put its faith in Britain. The Dutch-Anglo consumer goods giant, owner of iconic brands from PG Tips to Marmite, announced on Thursday that it was unifying under its UK listing. How times have changed. A mere 18 months ago, Unilever was trying to move its headquarters to [...]
The City View: How the City is coping with economic shockwaves and political upheaval, with Iain Anderson June 12, 2020 In this episode Christian talks to top City lobbyist Iain Anderson, Executive Chairman of Cicero AMO, about how businesses have responded to the Coronavirus crisis and the huge economic and political disruption it has caused. Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS From concerns over trade to worries about the lockdown, businesses have had to adapt [...]
Brexit: Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen to hold summit on Monday June 11, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will hold a virtual meeting on Monday to discuss the trajectory of post-Brexit trade negotiations. Joining the pair will be President of the European Council Charles Michel and EU Parliament President David Sassoli. The UK and EU have also agreed to an “intensified [...]
No-deal Brexit Q&A: What happens if UK-EU trade talks fail? June 11, 2020 Post-Brexit trade negotiations between the UK and EU have stalled after four rounds, leaving both sides just months to avoid a no-deal scenario. Brussels’ EU negotiator Michel Barnier complained yesterday that the UK was trying to “cherry pick” benefits of EU membership without the responsibilities. Chief UK negotiator David Frost and senior cabinet members have [...]
LBC ends contract with Nigel Farage June 11, 2020 Nigel Farage’s contract with LBC has been ended with immediate effect after three years at the station. In a statement on Twitter, LBC said: “Nigel Farage’s contract with LBC is up very shortly and, following discussions with him, Nigel is stepping down from LBC with immediate effect.” The phone-in radio station added: “We thank Nigel [...]
Tony Danker replaces Dame Carolyn Fairbairn as new CBI director-general June 10, 2020 The CBI has reportedly picked a replacement for Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, who will step down as director-general at the end of the year. Sky News has reported that the business group has appointed Tony Danker as Dame Carolyn’s successor, and it is understood the CBI will issue a release later today. Danker is currently chief [...]
Brexit: Michel Barnier says he cannot allow UK to ‘cherry pick’ in negotiations June 10, 2020 Brussels’ chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said he will not allow the UK to “cherry pick” benefits of EU membership in a free trade deal. Barnier told the EU’s Economic and Social Committee today that the UK was asking for “a lot more than Canada, Japan or any of our other free trade agreement [...]