De La Rue reveals turnaround plan to slash £35m of costs a year February 25, 2020 Banknote printer De La Rue today revealed its plan to cut £35m in annual costs after it lost a battle to print Britain’s post-Brexit blue passports. Shares soared 20.5 per cent to 147.2p as investors welcomed the plan. The company said it has already slashed £10m in annual costs, and it will target a yearly [...]
If we want better immigration policies, we first need better immigration debates February 25, 2020 It seems odd to suggest that we should talk more about immigration. It is the policy area which attracts perhaps the most wide-ranging and outraged of political commentary, and was undeniably a key driver in the vote to leave the European Union. Yet the quality of the debate, concerned primarily with numbers and rules, has [...]
Lessons for Britain over the tragedy of Syria February 25, 2020 The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, is coming to a bloody end — and, despite so many deaths that the United Nations essentially stopped counting, Bashar al-Assad is victorious. Idlib, the besieged home of the remaining Syrian rebels who fled as regime forces retook the rest of the country, will soon be added [...]
Nissan Europe chairman casts fresh doubt on future of Sunderland plant February 24, 2020 The future of Nissan’s Sunderland factory remains in doubt amid the ongoing trade negotiations between the UK and the European Union, the car-maker’s European chairman said today. Britain has until the end of the year to reach a free-trade agreement with the EU. If it fails, a 10 per cent tariff would be applied to [...]
Only five car battery tech patents filed from the UK in 2019, says BDO February 24, 2020 A record number of patents were filed in 2018/2019 as countries race to develop electric car batteries – but data suggests the UK is falling behind when it comes to the automotive technology. Advisory firm BDO has found 3,400 battery patents were filed in this period, a 57 per cent increase on the year before [...]
FTSE 100 plunges 3.4 per cent as Italy confirms seventh coronavirus death February 24, 2020 The FTSE 100 plunged more than three per cent on Monday as a rapid uptick in coronavirus cases outside China rattled investors and devastated European stocks. London’s blue-chip index fell as much as 3.7 per cent to 7,119 points today, as Italy confirmed a seventh person has died from the coronavirus. The FTSE 250 index [...]
Brexit: UK to prioritise sovereignty over business continuity in EU trade talks February 24, 2020 Britain will prioritise “sovereignty and independence” over business continuity when it comes to trade talks with the EU, Number 10 has said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his ‘XS’ committee – made up of frontbenchers such as Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove and foreign secretary Dominic Raab – is expected to sign off the negotiating [...]
Dechra profits double as pharma firm remains on track to hit targets February 24, 2020 Veterinary products firm Dechra Pharmaceuticals today revealed it doubled its profit in the six months to the end of 2019. Profit before tax jumped 117 per cent to £19.5m for the first half of Dechra’s financial year, up from £9m in the corresponding period of 2018. Meanwhile, operating profit was £23.3m, up from £17m in [...]
Minister James Brokenshire says he would eat chlorinated chicken in UK February 24, 2020 A Home Office minister has refused to rule out eating chlorinated chicken if it were sold in the UK after Brexit’s transition period ends. Security minister James Brokenshire did not reject the idea that he would eat chlorine-washed chicken, if authorities in the UK gave it the green light, telling LBC he was “not a [...]
Carnival shares slip lower as coronavirus fears grow February 24, 2020 Shares in Carnival fell nearly seven per cent as fears over a global pandemic grew and hit travel and leisure stocks. The company plunged 6.57 per cent, as at 4pm, in what has been a particularly turbulent day on the FTSE 100. London’s blue-chip index fell 3.5 per cent to 7.143 points. The last FTSE [...]