Free schools show how hard it can be to battle the Blob August 13, 2019 It was Michael Gove who popularised the term “the Blob” to describe the establishment forces battling his education reforms. It’s such a perfect description, because it captures the experience of anyone who tries to change the system – a constant, oozing pressure, flowing around your positions until they’re completely swallowed up. Another education minister, George [...]
Crunch time: Kettle Foods poised for takeover by Irish group Valeo August 12, 2019 The owner of high-end crisp brand Kettle Chips is set to be swallowed up by Irish food group Valeo as the two companies near an agreement in takeover talks. Valeo Foods, which owns brands including Rowse Honey and Barratt confectionery, is in advanced talks to buy Kettle Foods’s operations in the UK and Ireland, Sky [...]
Yen and bonds bullish as trade war fears weigh on global stocks August 12, 2019 Concerns that US-China trade tensions and a no-deal Brexit could spark a recession boosted the yen and bond markets today, while stock markets suffered once again. Early gains for European and Asian stocks soon faded and Wall Street futures were already in the red as traders geared up for another potentially volatile week. Read more: [...]
By trolling Anthony Scaramucci, Trump has crossed a line August 12, 2019 When I woke up on Sunday, like a lot of entrepreneurs and people who work in the media, I reached for my smartphone to check Twitter (Mrs B was still asleep; I am an early riser). One story that caught my eye straight away was President Trump – where would Twitter be without him, or [...]
PwC resigns as Staffline auditor following delay to 2018 results August 12, 2019 Recruiter Staffline said today that is auditor PwC has resigned after it put its audit contract out to tender. Staffline significantly delayed the release of its 2018 results after PwC received an anonymous email the day before their schedule released raising concerns about Staffline’s accounting practices. Read more: Staffline shares plunge after firm reveals £32.6m [...]
Expectations for UK economy fall to lowest level since 2011 August 12, 2019 Public expectations for how the UK economy will fare over the next 12 months are at their lowest level in more than seven years, according to a new report released today. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said the outlook for the general economic situation for the year ahead is worse than at any [...]
Downing Street eyes early September for Brexit showdown August 12, 2019 The UK government is eyeing early September as the next big Brexit showdown, with the EU expected to bide its time until British politicians have thrashed it out. The parliamentary battle is expected to take place on 9 September – a week after MPs return from their summer break, a senior government source said. MPs [...]
Royal London sales hit by DB transfer drop despite rise in profits August 12, 2019 Royal London, the UK’s largest mutual life insurer, has reported a drop in new business sales during the first half of the year. The pensions provider blamed an industry-wide reduction in defined benefit (DB) transfers today for a four per cent year-on-year fall in new business sales to £5.8bn for the first six months of [...]
Sterling recovers after tumbling to ten-year low against euro August 12, 2019 The pound has bounced after tumbling to a ten-year low against the euro this morning following a report from the Institute for Government (IfG) think tank that said MPs are unlikely to be able to stop a no-deal Brexit. Sterling dropped to €1.072 shortly after midnight. It fell to its lowest point since the depths [...]
Lib Dem mayoral hopeful Siobhan Benita: ‘We can win this’ August 12, 2019 Siobhan Benita, the Liberal Democrats’ London mayoral hopeful, arrives for our interview just two days before the crucial Brecon and Radnorshire MP by-election, where the pollsters’ predictions of a Lib Dem win proved to be right on the money: the party took just over 43 per cent of the vote, overturning a Tory majority and [...]