Broadband, mobile bills and council tax rises threaten ‘awful April’ for householders already facing cost of living crisis March 31, 2023 Households battling the cost of living crisis are facing an onslaught of price hikes that could leave the average family hundreds of pounds a year worse off. From April 1, millions of people will face increases to their broadband, mobile, water and council tax bills. Most local authorities are putting up council tax by 5 [...]
Broadband firms urged to cancel ‘exorbitant’ mid-contract price hikes for vulnerable customers March 21, 2023 Broadband firms have been urged to cancel “exorbitant” mid-contract price rises for vulnerable customers less than two weeks before they are due to take effect. Millions of broadband and mobile phone customers can expect to face monthly bill increases of at least 14 per cent from April. Providers often link their annual price rises to [...]
FTSE 100 live: London index joins European markets to close in the red as jitters over Credit Suisse contagion continue March 17, 2023 A dramatic week for European markets has ended on a low, with a number of interventions from global banks failing to calm the nerves of jittery investors. London’s FTSE 100 closed firmly in the red despite seeing gains in early trading on Friday. It followed a group of US banking giants injecting 30 billion US [...]
Royal Mail referred to Ofcom after claims boss ‘misled’ MPs over tracking of staff March 17, 2023 MPs have urged regulator Ofcom to launch an enforcement investigation into Royal Mail after claiming they were “misled” by the CEO’s evidence over the tracking of staff in parliament last month. Concerns over digitally tracking productivity, “systemically” failing in its legal duty to deliver letters six days a week and issues of sick pay being [...]
GB News losses hit £30m in first year on air March 9, 2023 British broadcaster GB News has amassed losses of more than £30m in its first full year on the air, after investing in numerous presenters including Eamonn Holmes and Nigel Farage. Figures from the news channel’s company accounts showed that it sunk deeper into a loss in the year to May 2022, after launching the channel [...]
Business groups question Bank of England Mann’s ‘greedflation’ claim March 8, 2023 Business groups yesterday said many firms had no choice but to raise prices to offset high costs in response to a Bank of England rate setter claiming companies are pursuing so-called ‘greedflation’ by pumping up prices to exploit strong consumer spending. Catherine Mann, an external member of the Bank’s rate setting monetary policy committee (MPC), [...]
Premier League reveals stance on scrapping Saturday 3pm blackout March 2, 2023 The Premier League has ruled out supporting the abolition of the Saturday 3pm blackout which restricts when live football can be televised in the UK. The English Football League (EFL) has floated scrapping the ban and broadcasters have said they would consider it but Premier League chief executive Richard Masters insisted they had no intention [...]
BT and Openreach’s iron grip on the telecoms monopoly has left the UK disconnected February 14, 2023 A lack of competition in the telecoms industry has left us one of the worst connected countries in Europe. We need better connectivity, and we need it now, writes Tim Creswick
£320,000 for ‘I’m A Celeb’ and £48,000 for pandemic books: Matt Hancock’s pay-days outside of Westminster revealed January 27, 2023 Matt Hancock was paid £320,000 for his controversial appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, it has been revealed. The former health secretary’s fee was listed on the MP’s register of financial interests. Hancock had the Conservative Party whip suspended for taking time off to appear on the ITV reality show. He [...]
Ofcom investigating BT for failure to provide customers with ‘clear and simple’ contracts January 23, 2023 The telecoms regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation into BT over its compliance with an obligation to provide customers with clear and simple contract information before they sign up to a new deal, the regulator has announced. Telecoms providers have been required to give customers contract information and a short – usually one-page – summary [...]