UK expansion to be slow in 2011, warn businesses March 7, 2011 SLUGGISH growth will weigh down the UK economy this year, although it should spring back more strongly than previously expected in 2012, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) predicts in a fresh forecast published today. The economy will expand by just 1.4 per cent this year, the BCC said, down from its previous forecast of [...]
Cameron: I’ve got a plan for UK enterprise March 6, 2011 PRIME Minister David Cameron made a bid to convince the public that his government has a plan for growth as well as deficit reduction in a speech at his party’s spring conference in Cardiff yesterday. Re-branding the coalition “an enterprise government”, Cameron declared war on “the enemies of enterprise” for “taxing, regulating, smothering, crushing, getting [...]
1,256 SAFE DAYS FOR ALL AT BP’S LONDON HQ February 1, 2011 FULL steam ahead for the BP safety train. Following The Capitalist’s story two weeks ago about how the oil giant has been beefing up ‘elf ’n’ safety procedures in stairwell use, a source has sent in this picture (see right). Yes, that’s right, a count-down (or count-up) calendar from BP’s London HQ boasting of how many “safe [...]
Unions ready for return to 1970s strikes January 16, 2011 UNIONS are preparing to plunge Britain into a period of 1970s-style industrial unrest with a spring general strike. The general secretaries of Britain’s unions will attend a Trade Union Congress (TUC) meeting on 28 January to discuss the possibility and mechanics of bringing Britain to a halt through coordinated industrial action. The unions hope to [...]
CBI: Rate rise in spring 2011 December 19, 2010 BRITISH GDP will expand by two per cent next year before accelerating to 2.4 per cent growth in 2012, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said today. Rising inflation will force the Bank of England to increase rates as early as spring, the CBI predicts. “The persistent strength of energy and commodity prices is a [...]
The Tube boss who is battling to rebuild the world’s oldest network November 17, 2010 It has been a tough few months for the new managing director of London Underground. Mike Brown, a company veteran who returned in March, faces his fourth strike over the axing of ticket office jobs in a matter of weeks. Tube unions RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association say getting rid of 800 ticket [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING October 21, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES AIRBUS CHIEF CALLS SUBSIDY ROW AN ABSURDITY The head of Airbus has lashed out at the “absurdity” of the prolonged aircraft subsidy row between his company and Boeing, its US rival, saying both sides had taken state aid and the only winners were likely to be rivals in China and Russia. In a [...]
At a glance: George Osborne’s first comprehensive spending review October 20, 2010 SPENDING FIGURES This fiscal year current expenditure will be £637.3bn. In 2011-12, current spending will be £651.1bn, followed by £664.5bn in 2012-13, £678.6bn in 2013-14 and then £692.7bn in 2014-15. The government will pay £43.3bn of gross government debt interest this fiscal year followed by £46.5bn in 2011-12, £52.4bn in 2012-13, £57.8bn in 2013-14 and [...]
Ireland finds that less bad isn’t good enough September 28, 2010 THE Irish parliament reconvenes today after its summer recess under distinctly chilly conditions. The markets have spent the week growing ever more anxious about tomorrow’s news on the costs of restructuring Anglo Irish Bank. The coalition government has a ruling majority of just six seats, and must hope that tomorrow’s numbers will restore some calm [...]
Still ahead of the curve: Art Laffer rises as Obama hits America’s rich September 12, 2010 WE SPEAK across the gleaming sweep of a boardroom table. Arthur Laffer has grabbed time for an interview while visiting CQS, a hedge fund. He is 70 this year, and the man who transformed the case for lower taxes with one sketch is in demand on this rare visit from the US. Today Laffer has [...]