Michael Spencer: Government must find way to ease ‘agonising’ UK lockdown May 5, 2020 Billionaire financier Michael Spencer has urged the government to “be brave” in its approach to easing the UK lockdown, warning the “agonising” effects of the economic shutdown risk causing lasting damage to British businesses. Spencer said that the longer the economy is “left in its paralysed state the greater the damage that accumulates”. He added: [...]
Brexit trade talks: Will the deadline be extended over coronavirus? April 23, 2020 Despite coronavirus, the UK’s chief Brexit negotiator David Frost, Boris Johnson’s so-called sherpa, and his Brussels counterpart Michel Barnier recommenced trade negotiations on Monday via video conference. The week-long negotiating round is the first of three to be held over the next six weeks. The ultimate aim is to thrash out and ratify a UK-EU [...]
The Long Read: The coronavirus loan scheme risks failing the people it was designed to help April 19, 2020 When the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, vowed that the government would do “whatever it takes” to keep businesses alive during the pandemic, the immediate reaction from corporate Britain was one of relief. The pledge to pay the wages of employees unable to work and the ambition behind the £350bn package of support (combining grants, sector-specific relief [...]
She speaks for the President—but is anyone listening? April 14, 2020 Last week a snippet of news dropped into my inbox, announcing that Donald Trump had taken time out of his busy schedule of bullish-if-confused press conferences to announce a new White House press secretary (the fourth since he was sworn in at the beginning of 2017, if anyone’s counting). Number three, Stephanie Grisham, thanked the [...]
Debenhams administration could provide blueprint for ‘freezing’ companies during coronavirus crisis April 6, 2020 Debenhams today gave notice to appoint administrators for what it said would be a “light touch” administration with the management remaining on board. This approach accords with ideas being floated by City insolvency lawyers who have proposed using the administration regime to mothball companies during the crisis and reviving them when economic conditions improve. Luke [...]
Doom Eternal review: Ultra, ultra violence has never been so much fun March 20, 2020 A 2014 study by scientists at Stetson University in Florida suggested that, rather than act as a predictor of violence in real life, violent video games may actually have the opposite effect, making people less likely to carry out acts of aggression. If that’s the case then the law won’t ever have to worry about [...]
Our ability to overcome should never be in doubt March 16, 2020 We are being told to prepare for significant changes to our way of life. Within weeks, perhaps sooner, the government will require anyone over the age of 70 to stay in their homes. The health secretary, Matt Hancock, says that when the order comes it will last “for a very long time”, while Public Health [...]
2020 Budget live: City reacts to Rishi Sunak’s spending plans March 11, 2020 Welcome to City A.M.’s 2020 Budget Day live blog. Please refresh your browser for live updates. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to address fears over the economic impact of coronavirus, and announce waves of new infrastructure spending and changes on taxation in his 2020 Budget. It comes after Bank of England governor Mark Carney earlier [...]
Spitting Image to return after 24 years following Britbox commission March 4, 2020 Spitting Image will return to UK screens 24 years after it was taken off air, as streaming service Britbox named the hit puppet show as its first original commission. The Bafta award-winning TV show, which first appeared in 1984, has earmarked a string of contemporary targets for its satire, including the Duke and Duchess of [...]
Police raid offices of Dutch bank ABN Amro in connection with cum-ex scandal February 27, 2020 German authorities today confirmed a raid on the Frankfurt office of Dutch bank ABN Amro in relation to the the cum-ex dividend stripping scandal that has rocked the European financial sector. “We can confirm that we are carrying out measures at ABN Amro in Frankfurt within the cum-ex context,” a spokesperson for the Cologne state [...]