General Election 2015: David Cameron dismisses Russell Brand as “a joke” ahead of Ed Miliband interview April 28, 2015 David Cameron has called comedian-turned-political activist Russell Brand “a joke” and said the public should ignore his stance on not voting. Speaking at an event in North London, Cameron said he "profoundly disagreed" with Brand. "He says don't vote, it only encourages them. That's funny, right, it's funny. But politics and life and elections and [...]
Win or draw? Alliance Trust share price rises as Elliott Advisors withdraws resolutions – but gets two seats on the board April 28, 2015 Elliott Advisors will call this a win – Alliance Trust may settle for something rather less emphatic. The day before what was set to be a heated annual general meeting (AGM), the financial services company appears to have reached a truce with one of its largest shareholders by giving it two seats on the board, [...]
Yanis Varoufakis out, Euclid Tsakalotos in: Markets cheer Greek shake-up as maverick’s influence wanes April 27, 2015 Investors lifted markets across Europe yesterday as the Greek government decided to bulk up its bailout negotiation team and lessen the influence of maverick finance minister Yanis Varoufakis. The government will create a new political team headed by Oxford-educated alternate foreign minister Euclid Tsakalotos. Manchester University professor George Chouliarakis will also take a more central [...]
David Cameron says Libor scandal bank fines will help fund £200m apprenticeship plan for the unemployed April 27, 2015 David Cameron is to announce today a £200m fund aimed at creating 50,000 new apprenticeships for young unemployed people. Money from Libor fines is being used to create the three year fund, which is part of the Conservatives’ plan to abolish long-term youth unemployment, a spokesperson said. “It all comes back to our values: being [...]
Greece’s golden boy Yanis Varoufakis and his tragic fall from grace. It all started with a misjudged Paris Match photoshoot April 27, 2015 It all began so well for Yanis Varoufakis. When he was thrust into the spotlight in January as the finance minister of a near-bankrupt Greece, the motorcycle-riding academic was acclaimed by media and academics alike as being a new voice for a new era. They dubbed him a rock star economist for his leather jacket [...]
London Marathon 2015: City gents set a better rate than Bank governor Mark Carney April 27, 2015 In the race for success in the City, business leaders were spotted donning their Sunday best high-tech lycra at the weekend, to pit their footsies against each other in the fiercest battle of the year so far – the Virgin Money London Marathon 2015. From firing-line to finish, top-dog in the pack of City wolves [...]
General Election 2015: Cameron says he’s “bloody lively” – but does he need to be? April 27, 2015 David Cameron was in the City this morning, trying to convince small business owners he's on their side, and trying to convince the broader electorate he's passionate about what his party has to offer. The PM has been under pressure in recent days for not showing enough fire on the campaign trail, as the [...]
London Marathon 2015: After Mark Carney thrashed Barclays boss Antony Jenkins, how well does your race time compare? April 27, 2015 Mark Carney beat Antony Jenkins in the high-finance battle at the London Marathon yesterday. The Bank of England’s 50-year-old governor produced a mercurial run, beating Jenkins, the 53-year old Barclays chief executive, by an hour and a half. Carney’s time of 03:31:22 was faster than the men’s average of 04:04:30, and far faster than the [...]
General Election 2015: David Cameron vows to slash £10bn of regulation for small businesses April 27, 2015 David Cameron has said his party is engaged in a "battle for the backbone of Britain" and that meeting small businesses "pumps" him up, unveiling the Tories' small business manifesto in a noticeably more passionate address than in the previous weeks of campaigning. The Conservatives plan to relieve small businesses of £10bn worth of regulation [...]
Nicola Sturgeon: “Ed Miliband can’t deny reality” and will have to talk with the SNP April 27, 2015 SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has said Ed Miliband "can't deny reality" and will have to be prepared "to talk and to compromise" with the SNP if Labour falls short of a parliamentary majority. After a week when the Tories hammered home the dangers to England of an SNP-Labour deal Ed Miliband gave the clearest indication yet that [...]