EU could collapse like the Soviet Union, warns financier George Soros February 12, 2019 The EU will “go the way of the Soviet Union” unless pro-Europeans rise up and defend the project, billionaire financier George Soros has warned. Reflecting on the implications of Brexit and other anti-EU movements rising on the continent, Soros claimed Europe is “sleepwalking into oblivion". Soros has poured at least £500,000 into anti-Brexit group Best [...]
May sets deadline for EU negotiations over Brexit backstop changes February 12, 2019 Theresa May today told MPs that they would get another vote on the next steps in the Brexit process later this month if she fails to secure changes from the EU. Parliament will get to vote on the path forward on 27 February – a month before the UK’s scheduled departure from the bloc – if [...]
London house prices: Prime postcodes dip as Brexit uncertainty weighs on market February 12, 2019 House prices in London’s most expensive neighbourhoods tumbled in the run-up to Christmas, continuing on a downward trend in the wake of uncertainty from both buyers and sellers. According to new data from Lon Res, prime property prices in the fourth quarter of 2018 fell 5.7 per cent when compared with the same period in [...]
Theresa May to tell MPs to hold their nerve over Brexit February 12, 2019 Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to tell MPs today to hold their nerve in the UK’s game of brinksmanship with the EU over Brexit. May is due to make a statement to MPs at 12.30pm ahead of a debate on Thursday on the next steps for Brexit. “We now all need to hold our nerve,” [...]
Should investors be worried about a EU turn in the Eurozone’s economic prospects? February 12, 2019 As the Eurozone’s largest economy, Germany usually acts as a bellwether for the rest of the bloc. So the European Commission’s decision to downgrade the country’s growth forecasts last Thursday is a worrying sign for the other euro nations. Expectations for GDP growth in Germany were cut to 1.1 per cent for 2019, down from the [...]
Against the tide of shareholder activism February 12, 2019 You cannot blame boardrooms today for being preoccupied, with everything from Brexit contingency planning to the prospect of a Corbyn government. Yet there is another, more pressing need for every UK listed business to be preparing for: activist investors. Shareholder activism, whereby an investor leverages their stake to put pressure on the management of a [...]
Philip Hammond’s ‘Brexit deal dividend’ claim under attack from MPs February 12, 2019 Philip Hammond’s promise of a Brexit dividend has been called into question amid signs of sluggish economic growth and warnings of a knock-on effect for the public finances. Figures released on Monday showed the UK economy grew by just 1.4 per cent in 2018 – its slowest rate for six years – while growth in the [...]
Post-Brexit immigration plans will stifle London’s economy, says CBI February 11, 2019 The government’s post-Brexit immigration plans will stifle London’s economy due to restrictions placed on overseas workers earning less than £30,000 a year, an influential business group has said. The new visa system, which would prevent firms employing workers under the income limit for more than a year, would particularly affect the accommodation and hospitality sector [...]
Telford Homes to develop £160m Stratford project February 11, 2019 London developer Telford Homes has ramped up its investment in East London this morning after announcing plans for a £160m housing site in Stratford. The housebuilder, which specialises in non-prime London property, has snapped up the 1.2 acre development for £20m as it looks to tap into recent regeneration following the arrival of Westfield shopping [...]
Britain must ‘enhance lethality’ amid growing cyber threat, says defence secretary February 11, 2019 Defence secretary Gavin Williamson will this morning crank up his military rhetoric, saying Britain cannot be seen as a “paper tiger” and must be ready to take action against countries that “flout international law”. The more aggressive tone, which comes ahead of the UK striking out on its own outside the European Union, will be [...]