21st Century Fox lodges Sky takeover with European Commission with government “minded” to scrutinise deal March 3, 2017 The government has indicated it will likely scrutinise the takeover of Sky by 21st Century Fox. The US media giant notified the European Commission today, which in turn referred the transaction to Culture, Media and Sport secretary Karen Bradley. While the Bradley has 10 days to decide whether or not she will review the deal, [...]
British Cycling boss issues apology after bullying, sexism and doping allegations March 2, 2017 British Cycling chairman Jonathan Browning has issued an apology for the governing body’s failings following allegations of bullying and sexism and has vowed to make changes to the organisation. Funding body UK Sport opened an investigation into British Cycling last year after former technical director Shane Sutton resigned following accusations of sexual discrimination against track [...]
New Glaxosmithkline chief executive pay package under scrutiny from shareholders March 2, 2017 Another row over pay at one of Britain’s top companies is brewing, after major shareholders in Glaxosmithkline (GSK) reportedly objected to the high levels of remuneration suggested for the pharmaceutical giant’s new chief executive. Investors are demanding lower pay for Emma Walmsley, who will start as chief executive on 31 March, according to Sky News. [...]
Is the Football League due a TV rights revolution? Why Derby County are leading the cross-divisional rebellion March 2, 2017 The Premier League’s £8bn television deal has not only ushered in a new era of profitability for top clubs – it has also convinced a growing number of teams from lower divisions that it is time to negotiate their own game-changing broadcast contract. Led by Derby County chairman and owner Mel Morris, some of the biggest [...]
BT to create 1,700 new jobs in a bid to bolster Britain’s boffin status March 2, 2017 BT will create 1,700 new apprenticeship and graduate positions in push to train up the UK's youngsters. The firm today announced the new positions which, it said, would boost "tech literacy within the UK so that the country remains a digital leader". "Young people today need three basic skills – reading, writing, and tech know-how," [...]
Paris vs Los Angeles: Why the IOC will reward both wannabe host cities for future Olympic Games March 2, 2017 When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members gather in Lima to choose the host of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games this September, ostensibly their choice is simple. It’s now either Paris from the old world or Los Angeles from the new, after Budapest joined Hamburg, Boston (LA’s forerunner) and Rome in opting out of [...]
Team Sky and British Cycling in firing line after records fail to clear doubts over Sir Bradley Wiggins’s 2011 Criterium du Dauphine win March 1, 2017 Team Sky and British Cycling are unable to provide documentary evidence of their assertion that a mystery package sent for Sir Bradley Wiggins at a 2011 race contained a legal medicine, MPs heard yesterday. UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) chief Nicole Sapstead, whose organisation has spent 1,000 man-hours investigating claims of wrongdoing in the sport, said that, [...]
Sky takeover: 21st Century to lodge deal papers with European authorities, firing the starting pistol on regulatory approval process March 1, 2017 Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox will take one step closer to sealing its takeover of Sky by lodging documents with European authorities this week. Fox is expected to ask Brussels to approve the deal, a move that starts the clock on 10-day window for culture secretary Karen Bradley to open an investigation into the £11.7bn bid to take control [...]
Sky internet blackout: Vauxhall workmen blamed for broadband outage that hit tens of thousands of customers March 1, 2017 More than 50,000 Sky broadband customers in London suffered a service blackout after bungling south London workmen severed underground fibre cables and a response team took several hours to get to the scene of the incident. The network shutdown started at 4.30pm yesterday evening, with an inspection team taking three hours to get to the scene. Problems were rectified [...]
Lord Lawson says the UK should ditch corporation tax and replace it with a Trump-style border tax March 1, 2017 Former chancellor Lord Lawson has suggested the UK ditch corporation tax altogether, replacing it instead with a Donald Trump-style border tax. In an interview with Sky News today Lawson, a prominent Brexit campaigner who earned a reputation as an enthusiastic abolisher of taxes during his time as chancellor, said corporation tax should be replaced with [...]