IoD seeks to move on from scandal with new director general September 30, 2019 UK business leaders group the Institute of Directors (IoD) has announced Grant Thornton executive Jonathan Geldart will be its new director general. Read more: IoD’s next boss will receive barely half previous chief’s salary The IoD will hope Geldart’s appointment will bring to a close a tumultuous period for the 116-year-old organisation. In January, director [...]
Days of soaring London house prices ‘are long gone’, says UBS September 30, 2019 The capital’s real estate market has moved out of bubble-risk territory for the first time in four years amid cooling London house prices, according to a new UBS report. An end to London’s housing boom has pushed the capital down a UBS index that ranks the cities with the biggest real estate bubbles in the [...]
UK consumer credit growth slows to five-year low September 30, 2019 British customers increased their borrowing at the slowest rate since 2014 in August, official statistics showed today, in a sign that Brexit uncertainty is weighing on consumer confidence. Read more: Pound staggers as Bank of England hints at interest rate cut The annual growth rate of lending to British consumers continued to slow in August, [...]
Chancellor Sajid Javid unveils £17bn no-deal Brexit cushion September 30, 2019 Sajid Javid will today unveil a package of spending pledges as the party goes on an election footing at its annual Conservative conference in Manchester. The chancellor will double down on Boris Johnson’s pledge to leave the EU with or without a deal on 31 October, promising a £16.6bn so-called no-deal Brexit guarantee to cushion [...]
One in three UK businesses has no Brexit plan in place as Halloween deadline looms September 30, 2019 A senior minister yesterday suggested the UK may use EU law in order to deliver Brexit by Halloween. Confirming revelations in City A.M., foreign secretary Dominic Raab told the Mail on Sunday that EU law supersedes UK law and so in theory the 31 October departure date, enshrined in European law, would be unaffected by [...]
Brexit fatigue? Public Accounts Committee turns to issues with ‘immediate impact on public’ September 29, 2019 An influential parliamentary committee has decided to turn away from Brexit over the coming weeks to focus its spotlight on other issues which have “an immediate impact on the public”. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which scrutinises the value-for-money of public spending, has announced it will launch inquiries on matters including fracking, the HS2 rail [...]
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage will run for Commons seat at next General Election September 29, 2019 Nigel Farage has confirmed that he will run to be an MP in any upcoming General Election, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson doubled down on ruling out a political pact between the Tories and the Brexit Party. A snap election is expected before the end of the year, with parliament in deadlock over Brexit. Read [...]
UK firms most pessimistic in eight years amid political crisis September 29, 2019 British businesses were at their most pessimistic in eight years in the three months to September, a survey showed today, as the country’s political crisis dragged down expectations of growth. Read more: Pound staggers as Bank of England hints at interest rate cut The CBI’s latest monthly report showed the gauge of future expectations of [...]
Jennifer Arcuri allegations are politically motivated, claims Boris Johnson September 29, 2019 Boris Johnson has claimed allegations that he gave favourable treatment to businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri during his time as London mayor are politically motivated. “Everything was done with full propriety,” the Prime Minister told the BBC this morning about his treatment of Arcuri’s firm while he was mayor. Read more: Boris Johnson referred to police watchdog [...]
Boris Johnson says he will not resign to avoid asking for Brexit delay September 29, 2019 Boris Johnson has dismissed suggestions he might resign to avoid having to ask the European Union for another Brexit delay beyond the end of October. The Prime Minister has pledged to take Britain out of the EU with or without a deal. But under the hastily-passed Benn Act, the Prime Minister must write to the [...]