No Labour MP wants to cut winter fuel payments, but our commitment to pensioners is steadfast September 9, 2024 Tomorrow’s vote on winter fuel payments will be tough, but making and explaining hard choices is what Labour was elected to do, says Dan Tomlinson Tomorrow I will be voting for something which no Labour MP came into politics to vote for: means testing the winter fuel payment. That I and hundreds of my colleagues [...]
Top hire for British luxury watch brand Christopher Ward September 9, 2024 Luxury watch brand Christopher Ward has appointed an advertising and marketing veteran as its new chief operating officer. Sarah Baumann will join the Maidenhead-headquartered brand on 23 September, having most recently been managing director of social media and influencer agency, The Wild by Jungle from February 2023 to March this year. Prior to that, she [...]
HSBC mulls merger of investment banking and commercial arms in cost-cutting drive September 9, 2024 HSBC is mulling a merger of its investment and commercial banking arms as part of a push by new chief Georges Elhedery to slash costs, according to reports. Elhedery, who took over as group CEO last week, is considering combining the lender’s global banking and markets arm with its trading and investment banking division, Bloomberg [...]
‘Game over’ for TGI Fridays’ UK owner Hostmore as shares crater almost 90 per cent September 9, 2024 TGI Fridays’ UK owner Hostmore is set to be wound down in a move that could wipe out its shareholders, after revealing it had dropped plans to buy the US restaurant chain for £177m. Shares in the London-listed company tanked by almost 90 per cent following the announcement on Monday. Hostmore, a hospitality firm which [...]
Unite Students faces legal action over rats, mould and rubbish in flats September 9, 2024 Hundreds of students across the country have demanded rent refunds from the UK’s biggest accommodation provider, citing problems ranging from rat infestations to dirty flats. Flat Justice, a not-for-profit tenants’ rights group, is currently leading multiple cases against Unite Students for blocks in London, Oxford, Coventry, Liverpool and Birmingham. A spokesperson for Flat Justice said [...]
Back at square one: Crowdcube co-founder Darren Westlake embarks on bold new venture following exit September 9, 2024 Two decades ago, Darren Westlake set out to transform startup funding in the UK with the launch of Crowdcube. Fast forward 20 years and the entrepreneur finds himself in a familiar position – back at square one – after stepping down as CEO of the platform last year to “start again.” His new project, Disco, [...]
The secret language of City dealmaking September 9, 2024 Dealmaking on the public markets can be a dense and confusing world. Firms court each other in the public domain; cryptic, flirtatious barbs are fired across the market, and bosses on either side try to size each other up. But what do their messages really mean? What is the hidden meaning behind the jargon? From Pac-Man [...]
Meet the founder rewriting the UK’s higher education playbook September 9, 2024 A model of specialisation has long been the golden rule of Britain’s higher education system - but what is the “true” and current value of such a degree?
Who’d be ambassador to President Trump? September 9, 2024 Peter Mandelson and David Miliband are rumoured to be in the frame for British ambassador to Washington, but only if Kamala Harris wins. That’s a mistake. A Trump victory would demand a diplomatic heavyweight, says Eliot Wilson By the beginning of next year, Dame Karen Pierce will have served as British ambassador to the United [...]
Former Cineworld boss looks to snap up struggling UK sites for new venture September 8, 2024 Mooky Greidinger is eyeing up the UK for a new venture as the former Cineworld boss attempts to woo over the embattled cinema chain’s landlords with his plans. Greidinger, who was behind the rise of Cineworld before it was buried by the lingering burden of debt due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is reportedly in talks [...]