Britain has never understood the fervour for the EU project January 31, 2019 What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? It would appear that we are about to find out in the latest instalment of the Brexit soap opera that has been running since we announced our intention to leave in 2016. For no sooner had MPs voted on Tuesday night to back Sir Graham [...]
This series of UK politics feels suspiciously like daytime TV May 7, 2019 Last week’s local elections were a democratic amuse bouche. A mere mouthful of popular sentiment, sending a message to the political elite that an offering meant to delight the taste buds has fallen as flat as a soggy souffle. Like a daytime TV rerun of MasterChef, it involved lots of familiar names and tried but [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown’s five stocks to watch in 2018: From life insurance to Irn Bru to that well-known heritage check December 19, 2017 Investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown has set out its stocks to watch in 2018. And where its eyes are straying, others' are likely to follow. While some asset managers are predicting the return of volatility in what has been a relatively uneventful year for the UK stock market, Hargreaves Lansdown's equity analysts spread their bets across [...]
Sadiq Khan calls for TfL to take over from Network Rail as London’s railway manager March 26, 2019 Sadiq Khan has said Transport for London (TfL) should replace Network Rail as the UK's rail infrastructure manager to improve the reliability of services for London's commuters. The London mayor wants responsibility and funding for key rail assets such as tracks and stations to be transferred to the transport body so it is able to plug the communication gap [...]
Competition watchdog investigates British Airways’ transatlantic flight agreement October 11, 2018 An investigation into British Airways’ revenue-sharing partnership on transatlantic flights is underway, a watchdog announced today. The decade-old Atlantic Joint Business Agreement sees BA, American Airlines, Iberia and Finnair split revenue on all passenger routes between Europe and the US. Read more: Moody's: BA and Easyjet among airlines 'most exposed to a no-deal Brexit' The European [...]
Off road: Is the car industry in reverse? January 14, 2019 The automotive industry faces recession and decline. Driverless cars are on the horizon, but has the moment for motors already passed? The first Model T Ford rolled off the production line in 1908. Available in “any colour… so long as it is black”, in the words of magnate Henry Ford, the car marked a breakthrough [...]
Stop being defeatist, Britain is still a geopolitical powerhouse January 10, 2019 Over the past few years, the drumbeat of British declinism has grown steadily louder. Last year, former Prime Minister Sir John Major claimed that the UK was going to become a “middle-sized, middle-ranking nation”, while Sir Simon McDonald, the head of the diplomatic service, described the country as “medium-sized”. True, the declinist rumble has haunted the [...]
Have yourself a very modern Christmas: How to keep things woke on the big day, from vegan-friendly to zero-carbon December 13, 2019 The cards may read “peace to all men” but Christmas is a time for bitter fights, tantrums and physical conflict, especially when it comes to lunch (or should that be “dinner”?). Most of all, it’s a day when people come together to vehemently disagree about food. Siblings will fly thousands of miles, cross land and [...]
Government says shared parental leave take-up in the UK could be as low as two per cent February 12, 2018 The government said today that despite around 285,000 couples each year qualifying for shared parental leave, actual take-up could be as low as two per cent. Half of the general public aren’t even aware that the option exists for parents. The announcement came as part of a new drive from the Department for Business, Energy [...]
British exports to EU to be ‘cut in half’ by hard Brexit warns German think tank October 10, 2018 Britain and the EU would sustain economic hits worth billions of pounds if no Brexit deal is agreed before the 29 March 2019, according to analysis by a German think tank. British exports to Europe could fall by as much as 50 per cent, while German exports would decrease by 43 per cent, according to [...]