Alexis Tsipras defiant despite growing anger on talks March 18, 2015 Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras sent a strong anti-austerity message to the country’s parliament yesterday. However, in a blow to Syriza’s solidarity, the party’s chief economist Yiannis Milios left his post. “People have asked us to put an end to austerity and bailout agreements, to begin the process of reclaiming the dignity of the nation,” [...]
Chancellor bats away Labour’s 1930s claims March 18, 2015 CLAIMS that a Conservative-led government will take state spending back to 1930s levels were shot down yesterday as Osborne announced austerity would end sharply at the end of the next parliament. The claim had been disputed by economists who questioned the calculations and comparisons behind it. Nonetheless, it had been repeatedly made by Labour in [...]
Why the public finances may improve even faster than the Budget forecasts March 18, 2015 The chancellor delivered an astute Budget yesterday. Some politically safe revenue raising measures (a raid on the banks, a further crackdown on tax avoidance and evasion, and a reduction in the lifetime allowance for pensions) raised enough money to pay for some politically popular giveaways: an increase in personal income tax allowances, a new tax [...]
BHS parent Retail Acquisitions appoints property consultants to “review” store portfolio March 18, 2015 Retail Acquisitions has appointed property consultants to review BHS' 171-strong store portfolio, as the new owner gets to grips with its loss-making business. BHS had already taken the decision to shut its Oxford and Foss Park stores ahead of Sir Philip Green's sale of the business, and these will close their doors “in the coming [...]
How to win at job interviews, according to Google’s HR boss March 17, 2015 Google's senior vice president of people operations Laszlo Bock wants to help you win at job interviews. He's about to publish a book about succeeding at work and ahead of that has been posting advice on how to get a job at Google (or anywhere). Ahead of publication he is also sharing six tips [...]
Sotheby’s bids high to land first new chief executive for 15 years March 16, 2015 SOTHEBY’S has ended its four-month search for a new chief executive officer by appointing Tad Smith as president and leader of the group. Smith, who will begin his new role at the international auction house on 31 March, succeeds William Ruprecht who has served as chief executive since 2000. “The board is unanimous in its [...]
Atom Bank’s chief Mark Mullen on using the Post Office to launch challengers March 16, 2015 Digital banking sounds super-cool. You can manage your money entirely on a smartphone and, if you choose a new challenger, stick it to the big banks at the same time. There is one big problem – where do you pay in cash? Atom Bank’s boss thinks shared hubs like the Post Office could be the [...]
Bank of England tight lipped on liquidity market probe March 5, 2015 Threadneedle Street was on lockdown yesterday, as Bank of England officials declined to give any details of potential fraud around its liquidity operations in the crisis years. A spokesperson for the Bank said it would not answer questions on speculation over which of the Bank’s schemes the alleged fraud relates to. “We are not getting [...]
Alastair Campbell on winners: Are there any left in the Labour party? March 5, 2015 When the political satire In The Loop came out in 2009, the Culture Show did a segment in which the critic Mark Kermode watched the film with Alastair Campbell. Afterwards, a sourfaced Campbell delivered his verdict: “I didn’t find it terribly funny.” Kermode said he had sympathy with any representation of politics as venal and [...]
GlaxoSmithKline gives shareholders £4bn windfall after Novartis deal March 2, 2015 GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is delivering a £4bn windfall to shareholders following the conclusion of a three-way deal with Novartis. The deal comes in the wake of a dreadful 2014 for the British drugmaker in which turnover fell by 10 per cent and profits slumped 15 per cent after declining sales in the US and a bribery [...]