BoE governor Andrew Bailey: Fiscal stimulus should keep climate change in mind June 5, 2020 Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey has said stimulus packages from governments to tackle the coronavirus fallout should improve sustainability so as to help tackle climate change. In an opinion article with former governor Mark Carney and other central bankers, Bailey said countries should “build back better” after coronavirus, with green goals in mind. Yet [...]
BBC appoints Tim Davie as new director general June 5, 2020 The BBC has named Tim Davie as its new director general, bringing to an end months of speculation over the successor to outgoing boss Tony Hall. Davie, who is currently chief executive of BBC Studios, will take up the role in September. Davie is one of the corporation’s longest-serving executives and stepped in as acting [...]
A menu of options to keep our restaurants alive June 4, 2020 You all know the image: a politician enjoying a pint or a meal at their local restaurant. There are handshakes all round and a picture is posted on Twitter. It is — rightly — a scene that shows MPs or councillors backing businesses, particularly the small and medium sized enterprises which make up the lifeblood [...]
Airlines, a bakery and a football club claim BoE coronavirus cash June 4, 2020 Famous UK and foreign firms from across the economy have turned to the Bank of England for coronavirus loans, official figures have shown, with companies from John Lewis to football club Tottenham Hotspur selling the bank their bonds. German chemicals company BASF is currently the biggest borrower on the Bank’s covid corporate financing facility (CCFF), [...]
Coronavirus: BBC calls for right to publish news directly on Whatsapp June 4, 2020 The BBC should be allowed to publish directly on chat platforms such as Whatsapp to help counter fake news about the Covid-19 crisis, one of the broadcaster’s top bosses has said. Jamie Angus, director of the BBC World Service Group, urged tech giants to open their platforms to trusted news providers as part of their [...]
FTSE 100 quarterly review highlights the economy’s winners and losers June 4, 2020 Home-repairs company Homeserve, cybersecurity firm Avast, DIY group Kingfisher and gambling giant GVC were the four companies announced yesterday as being promoted to the FTSE 100 – the index of the 100 biggest UK companies.Cruise giant Carnival, airline easyJet, aerospace components firm Meggitt and British Gas-owner Centrica are all making way. The FTSE reshuffles its [...]
HSBC and Standard Chartered slammed for supporting China’s Hong Kong security law June 4, 2020 HSBC and Standard Chartered have today been critcised for their support of China’s new security law for Hong Kong. HSBC’s Asia-Pacific chief executive Peter Wong signed a petition backing the law, the bank said. HSBC said in a statement: “We respect and support laws and regulations that will enable Hong Kong to recover and rebuild [...]
Coronavirus loans: George Osborne calls for future government ‘debt forgiveness’ programme June 3, 2020 The government should implement a future “debt forgiveness” programme for companies borrowing through its coroanvirus loan schemes, according to former chancellor George Osborne. Osborne said small and micro businesses “who are engines of growth” should have their debts written off in several years’ time if they are still carrying debt burdens from the government’s emergency [...]
Business groups hit back at 14-day quarantine plan June 3, 2020 Home secretary Priti Patel earlier this afternoon laid out the government’s plans to quarantine all international arrivals in England for 14 days. However, the confirmation of the much-discussed plans, which will come into effect from 8 June, met with dismay from business groups from across the economy. Catherine McGuiness, policy chair at the City of [...]
Priti Patel lays out details of 14-day quarantine plan June 3, 2020 Home secretary Priti Patel has confirmed that all overseas travellers arriving in England will have to quarantine for 14 days. Speaking in parliament, Patel said that the blanket approach to incoming visitors was “necessary”, but said they were temporary restrictions. The measures will be implemented on 8 June, with the first review set for 28 [...]