Shoppers to spend more than £4bn at independent shops over festive season December 10, 2019 Small retailers are set to enjoy a £4.4bn spending boost over the festive season as Christmas shoppers plan to support independent businesses, according to the latest research. Shoppers are expected to spend £140.4m at small businesses every day in December, as consumers prepare to buy nearly a fifth of their gifts from independent retailers. Read [...]
General Election 2019: The rail industry’s Christmas wishlist December 10, 2019 The rail industry is on the verge of the most precipitous change since John Major took it private 28 years ago – whether it likes it or not. On the one hand, the Conservatives are likely to tear apart the system which decides who runs each line – known as franchising – having grown impatient [...]
Champions League permutations: What results Liverpool and Chelsea need to reach the last 16 December 9, 2019 Manchester City and Tottenham may have already sealed their place in the Champions League knockout round, but for many clubs a place in February’s round of 16 is still to play for. City are guaranteed top spot regardless of Wednesday night’s result against Dinamo Zagreb, while Jose Mourinho’s Spurs face a trip to Bayern Munich [...]
M&S shares jump after Goldman Sachs hikes rating December 9, 2019 Shares in Marks & Spencer jumped this morning after investment bank Goldman Sachs hiked its stock rating following improvement in the retailer’s troubled clothing and home division. The company’s share price was up more than four per cent after Goldman Sachs issued a “buy” rating, from its previous “sell” recommendation, in a boost for the [...]
Election 2019: McDonnell pledges Labour Budget on 5 February December 9, 2019 A Labour government would hold its first Budget on 5 February, shadow chancellor John McDonnell has pledged today. Speaking from Vauxhall, where Labour candidate Florence Eshalomi is expected to replace outgoing MP Kate Hoey, McDonnell said the party had already “won the argument” that austerity was wrong. “We face an existential threat… we need to [...]
All we want for Christmas is… for politicians to commit to helping disabled workers December 9, 2019 As we hurtle towards the polls this week, my thoughts are turning to how disabled people can make their voices heard during an unusually festive election period (the last December General Election was in 1923). I love Christmas and the time I get to spend with my family and friends, but for many of us, [...]
Election 2019: Labour to ‘get money moving out of Whitehall and the City’ December 9, 2019 Labour’s shadow chancellor John McDonnell will today pledge to “get money moving out of Whitehall and the City”, and start nationalising key utilities, within the first 100 days of a Jeremy Corbyn government. Read more: John McDonnell outlines plans to borrow extra £58bn for Waspi women Speaking from London today, McDonnell will pledge to kick-start [...]
The best and worst political adverts of the General Election 2019 campaign December 9, 2019 It is the holiday season, and every day another Christmas advertising campaign drops. But this year, a festive election is happening for the first time in 96 years — and whether we like it or not, it’s hanging over everything. In no particular order, and with a pinch of non-partisan cynicism, here are some honest [...]
UK restaurants and pubs hope for festive spending surge December 9, 2019 Restaurant and pub operators are hoping for a surge in festive spending after a slump in dining-out dented restaurant and pub food sales in the run-up to Christmas, according to research analysing sales at some of the UK’s best-known chains. Restaurant groups suffered a 0.1 per cent slump in food sales in November as wet [...]
UK business output hits 17-month low, BDO says December 9, 2019 Declining output across the UK’s services and manufacturing sectors has caused BDO’s output index to fall to its lowest level in 17 months. In November the index, which provides a snapshot of business productivity through analysing data from the UK’s business surveys, fell by 0.65 points to 96.04. Read more: Private sector output suffers worst [...]