Merciless verdict: Accounting watchdog FRC slams BDO and Mazars for ‘unacceptable’ audits July 20, 2022 Auditors BDO and Mazars have been called out for the “unacceptable” quality of their work by the accounting watchdog. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said there has been “some improvement” across the auditing sector amid heavy scrutiny following failings linked to the major collapses of firms such as Carillion. FRC chief executive Sir John Thompson [...]
Tax and spend? We can’t save public services without a unified tech policy July 20, 2022 There are numerous ways in which to judge a potential leadership candidate. Their sheer electoral appeal, their reputation within the party, their communication style and authenticity, their experience, or their policy agendas. Or often all of the above. In regards to the latter, the candidates are unsurprisingly fixated on the same old conventional arguments about [...]
Grant Thornton slapped with multi-million pound fine after FRC calls out ‘serious failings’ in Sports Direct audit July 18, 2022 The UK’s accounting watchdog today hit Grant Thornton with a £2.05m over “serious failings” in its audits of high-street retailer Sports Direct. The fines come after the UK’s Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said Grant Thornton had failed to properly scrutinize Sports Direct’s relationship with an unnamed delivery company and the impact the relationship would have [...]
Aussie Rules: Cameron Smith blitzes back nine to win first major at 150th Open Championship July 17, 2022 At an Open Championship that for much of the week felt preordained to be won by Rory McIlroy it was always going to take something special to defy the golfing gods, but Cameron Smith provided it on Sunday. The Australian played the back nine of the Old Course at St Andrew’s in six under par [...]
Fast fashion: Mike Ashley’s retail behemoth Frasers Group eyes I Saw It First July 17, 2022 Mike Ashley’s retail empire may make a swoop for I Saw It First, an online fast-fashion brand owned by Boohoo founder Jalal Kamani. According to a report in The Telegraph, Frasers Group could add I Saw It First to its list of retail takeovers within a matter of weeks. The Telegraph’s sources told the newspaper [...]
Fan spending FOUR days on bus to watch World Athletics Championships July 13, 2022 Dedicated fan bases are what sports are built upon; the desire to be there for your team or player and witness any history they make. But would you spend four days on a bus going coast-to-coast for a few days of sporting action? Because that’s just what Jan Figueroa is doing. The 24-year-old Puerto Rico-born [...]
Markets have bigger things to worry about than a change in Number 10 July 12, 2022 Markets tend to be one step ahead of everyone else. Investors are always trying to identify new risks and limit their exposure to events that hurt stock markets. That forward-looking ethos probably explains why they ignored the upheaval in Number 10 last week. Boris Johnson’s position has looked wobbly for a while. Investors priced in [...]
The cost of living crisis won’t wait – we need a caretaker PM who can deliver stability July 8, 2022 So the farce is over. The term has rarely been more apt after the Education Secretary, one of three in that post this week, resigned in protest of the prime minister who had appointed her a little over 36 hours prior. Indeed, the resignations were happening at such a swift pace, you would be hard [...]
Caterham Seven 170R review: Seeing the light July 7, 2022 With no windscreen and no frills, the Caterham Seven 170R is focused solely on driving fun. Tim Pitt straps in for a blustery good time.
Sink or swim: The peril of floating as an online media firm July 7, 2022 The excitement surrounding Buzzfeed’s IPO was palpable. It had a loyal following of millennials, millions of investment, and a private-market value of around $1.7bn (£1.4bn). Last summer, Buzzfeed founder and CEO Jonah Peretti said the float was about “taking the next step in BuzzFeed’s evolution, bringing capital and additional experience to our business”. He said [...]