Hammond slams strikes May 5, 2011 Transport secretary Philip Hammond has branded the latest round of Tube strikes “highly irresponsible” and said the union’s behaviour will lead to tougher industrial laws. The RMT union, headed up by Bob Crow, has announced six strike days. They will down tools for between nine and 24 hours between 16 and 20 May and again [...]
NOISY NEIGHBOURS MAKE MAYOR MICHAEL A SORE-HEADED BEAR May 2, 2011 BEING Lord Mayor of London comes with its benefits. Just ask the present mayor Michael Bear, who took a seat in Westminster Abbey last Friday alongside David Beckham, Elton John and David Cameron as a guest at the Royal Wedding. There is also, of course, the advantage of a grace-and-favour home at Mansion House round [...]
Tube staff vote to strike April 27, 2011 Londoners could face a fresh wave of transport misery after RMT union members voted in favour of more strike action. The union says it will now consider “the appropriate course of action,” which could lead to yet another staff walkout. The RMT claims two Transport for London (TfL) workers, Eamon Lynch and Arwyn Thomas, were [...]
Tory MP calls for tough new law on strikes April 26, 2011 A CONSERVATIVE MP yesterday proposed new legislation that would ban strikes by transport and emergency workers unless 50 per cent of unionised employees vote in favour of industrial action. Dominic Raab, MP for Esher & Walton, used the 10-minute rule procedure in the House of Commons to call for a change in the current law, [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS April 26, 2011 IMS Group The regulatory compliance provider has strengthened its consultancy offering following the acquisition of compliance consultancy MMS in February. Jonathan Mott joins as a consultant from the Financial Services Authority to work with a range of companies in the asset management and securities sector, including hedge fund managers and private equity firms. In addition, [...]
CAR TALK April 26, 2011 JAGUAR BEEFS UP THE 2012 XF Jaguar has shown its new, revamped 2012 XF at the New York Auto Show. The car gets a new fresh look with slimmer headlights, a more powerful-looking bonnet and a larger, more upright grille. A new 2.2-litre, four-cylinder 188bhp diesel engine, capable of 0-60mph in a time of 8.0secs, [...]
London to get wedding gift worth £107m April 25, 2011 DETRACTORS say the Royal Wedding could cost the UK economy up to £30bn. But a new survey from PwC claims that the nuptials will also have an economic upside. Visitors to the capital determined to share in the carnival atmosphere will be splashing out an estimated £107m while they celebrate. Around 560,000 people will flock [...]
Why giving listed status to Broadgate is wrong April 25, 2011 LAST week the City of London Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee approved plans for a 13 storey office block at 5 Broadgate to provide a new European headquarters for UBS. The fact that UBS has taken a long-term decision to be based in the City for the foreseeable future is an encouraging one. However, this [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING April 18, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES UKRAINE’S RICHEST MAN SNAPS UP A WINDOW ON HYDE PARK FOR £136M Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man, has bought the UK’s most expensive flat at the One Hyde Park residential development in London’s Knightsbridge. Akhmetov was behind the purchase of the penthouse, which sold for £136.6m. The identities of buyers at One Hyde [...]
Elliott proposes sale of National Express assets April 15, 2011 National Express’ biggest shareholder has proposed breaking up the company or merging it with a rival as it meets shareholders in London today. Elliott Advisors, the activist hedge fund that now owns 17.5 per cent of the transport group, said it supported either selling National Express assets to “natural owners” or to allow it to [...]