Johnson urges EU to ‘see sense’ as Brexit trade talks enter 48-hour crunch time December 19, 2020 Trade talks between the UK and EU will continue this weekend, marking another critical 48 hours for the negotiations as the end of the transition period looms closer. The two sides remain stuck on issues that have plagued them for months, including fisheries, so-called level playing field arrangements and state aid. Yesterday the EU’s chief [...]
Nation of beer drinkers: Brits spend extra £2.1bn on booze in lockdown December 18, 2020 Booze-drinking Brits spent an extra £2.1bn on alcoholic beverages this year as they stocked up on lager, wine and spirits while pubs were closed during lockdown. Despite its name, Corona was one of the lager brands to toast the largest growth, with sales up £68m compared to last year. Lager was the fastest growing drink [...]
London and southeast in Tier 3: What are the rules? December 17, 2020 Most of the southeast of England is set to join London in Tier 3 from midnight on Friday, as the government scrambles to contain a sharp spike in coronavirus cases. The move will see Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Peterborough, and the whole of Hertfordshire move into the highest level of restrictions from 0.01am on Saturday. It [...]
Brokers, intermediaries and blockchain December 15, 2020 As a follow-on from my article on the top 7 things that people want to know about blockchain, I came up with another question: Does blockchain create value? Or to put it another way, “How does blockchain create value?” The short answer is: It doesn’t – in and of itself. Blockchain is infrastructure. Blockchain is [...]
Millions worth of festive food could go to waste as London enters Tier 3 December 15, 2020 Millions of pounds worth of food could go to waste as a result of the government’s decision to send London into Tier 3 at midnight tonight. In Tier 3 all bars and restaurants will be forced to close, although they are able to offer take-away and delivery services. Restaurateurs say the rug has been pulled [...]
One in 10 British businesses think they will go bust in the next three months December 10, 2020 Twelve per cent of all businesses in the UK think they will buckle in the next three months, as tough coronavirus restrictions continue to weigh on the British economy. Around eight per cent of businesses currently trading have none or little confidence of surviving over the next three months, according to the latest figures from [...]
London ‘facing Tier 3 before Christmas’ as coronavirus cases hike in two-thirds of boroughs December 10, 2020 London risks being plunged into Tier 3 before Christmas as the latest official data showed infections are on the rise in two-thirds of boroughs. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan yesterday urged people in the capital to to “follow the rules” after Public Health England figures released earlier this week showed Covid-19 cases rising in 21 [...]
Sadiq Khan urges Londoners to ‘follow the rules’ to avoid Tier 3 before Christmas December 9, 2020 Sadiq Khan has urged millions of Londoners to “follow the rules” amid mounting fears the capital faces Tier 3 restrictions following a sharp spike in coronavirus cases. The mayor of London today issued a plea for people in the capital not to lower their “guard”, as he appealed for Londoners to follow the current Tier [...]
UK must cut emissions 78 per cent by 2035 to hit 2050 net zero target December 9, 2020 The UK must cut emissions by 78 per cent by 2035 in order to hit its target of being net zero by 2050, a new report by the government’s climate advisers has found. Such a cut effectively brings forward the country’s former target of reaching an 80 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050 by [...]
Placing London in Tier 3 would deliver ‘killer blow’ for hospitality venues December 8, 2020 Placing London in Tier 3 would represent a “killer blow” for the capital’s hospitality venues, the UK’s leading business bodies have told City A.M, amid fears that tougher restrictions lie on the horizon following a rise in infections. Latest data from Public Health England showed that London’s infection rate now stands at 169.6 per 100,000 [...]