Minister: Reports that Matt Hancock kept PM in the dark over vaccine success ‘are wrong’ June 20, 2021 Reports that Matt Hancock withheld information from Boris Johnson about the success of vaccines against the Delta variant are incorrect, according to justice secretary Robert Buckland. Johnson and three senior ministers – Hancock, Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove – met last Sunday before making a decision the next day to delay the next step of [...]
Andy Haldane became the media darling of economics, the Bank of England must continue his legacy June 20, 2021 After 32 years at the Bank of England, the current senior economist at Threadneedle Street – Andy Haldane – is moving on to new pastures. His departure as one of the top dogs at the Bank of England will leave the oldest and first central bank without his valuable experience. But as communication with the [...]
Tensions rise between Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak behind closed doors over spending June 20, 2021 Tensions are reportedly increasing between Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak over the Prime Minister’s myriad of recent spending promises. Two recent major spending announcements – of a new Royal Yacht and a new G7 green infrastructure programme for developing countries – were reportedly announced by Johnson without even consulting Sunak or the Treasury. The green [...]
Screenshot: Can GB News survive the ad boycott backlash? June 18, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Richard Madeley goes full Partridge **Can GB News survive the ad boycott backlash? **London’s bumper fintech float: a Wise move Media Moment of the Week: Richard Madeley goes full Partridge It’s always risky when producers attempt a comeback of an old show, so I was sceptical when I [...]
Sunak: Existing help for businesses hit by lockdown extension generous enough June 17, 2021 Rishi Sunak has tonight ruled out any extra financial support for businesses hit by the four-week long extension to lockdown. In an interview with the FT, the Chancellor said that the existing schemes had “erred on the side of generosity” in order to “accommodate delays to the roadmap”. Although the Treasury yesterday announced an extension [...]
‘Not up to government’: Return to office under threat as ministers mull legal right to work from home June 17, 2021 Brits could be granted the right to work from home forever under shock post-pandemic plans being considered by the government. Ministers have proposed legal changes that would prevent employers from forcing staff to come into the office unless they can prove it is essential. The government will consult on the plan over the summer ahead [...]
Fintech firm Wise confirms plans for London stock market float June 17, 2021 Fintech favourite Wise has confirmed plans to go public in what will be the first direct listing of a tech firm in London. The payments group, formerly known as Transferwise, said it has been profitable since 2017 and sales hit £421m this year. In 2021 the app moved £54.4bn across borders for 6m customers. The [...]
Sunak says pensions triple lock remains government policy as he faces £4bn bill June 17, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said the triple lock on pensions remains government policy after it emerged that he may have to spend £4bn more on pensioners from next year if he sticks to the pledge. Sunak was grilled on the issue in an interview with GB News, after ONS data published earlier in the week [...]
Exclusive: British Business Bank could target future support towards Covid-battered sectors June 17, 2021 The head of the British Business Bank has intimated that their future loan support could be targeted on parts of the economy which have seen the biggest hit from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Bank has played a key role in the economic response to the pandemic, expanding its balance sheet from £8bn-worth of loans to [...]
Tories’ ‘triple lock’ pension pledge could cost Treasury £4bn June 16, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak will have to stump up £4bn on pensioners from next year to cover the Conservative Party’s ‘triple lock’ pledge, despite efforts to cut back spending after the pandemic. The headline growth rate of average UK earnings rose to 5.6 per cent in April — an artificial inflation caused by last year’s furlough [...]