What got us talking this week – including the Paris attacks reaction, Black Friday, the Autumn Statement, Cross Boris in Crossrail revelations, Adele’s new album and Eddie Jones November 20, 2015 It was a week where Boris Johnson found a tunnel under his house, we heard petrol could dip under £1 a litre and we asked how financially literate you are. Paris attacks – the reaction While the market's immediate reaction was subdued, the emotional outpouring following the Paris attacks has been palpable – in France, Europe and [...]
Britain’s socialists aren’t quite as “progressive” as they think they are September 26, 2016 It’s as predictable as the so-called “rabbit out of the hat”. Twice each year (three times when George Osborne felt an “emergency” coming on), the days after a Budget or Autumn Statement are littered with left-wing MPs, armed with their Institute for Fiscal Studies bar chart, denouncing the package of policies as “regressive”. “The tax and [...]
Forcing working mothers out of jobs is costing British businesses £280m a year October 27, 2016 British businesses are losing hundreds of millions of pounds every year as a result of women being forced out of jobs after having a baby. According to a study by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) for the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), businesses are losing nearly £280m a year, largely due [...]
After a torrid time for sterling, is the UK economy heading for trouble? October 10, 2016 Andrew Sentance, senior economic adviser to PwC and former member of the Bank of England’s MPC, says Yes. It is not just Brexit which is undermining sterling at present. The UK has a large balance of payments deficit. The government still has a large deficit – and Philip Hammond seems more relaxed than George Osborne about [...]
This is what will happen to house prices in 2017 December 14, 2016 How will the UK's favourite asset fare in 2017? It's safe to say that the Brexit vote has not caused the immediate and catastrophic housing crash that former chancellor George Osborne was predicting before the referendum. But the outlook for property next year is not particularly rosy. Liberum analysts are expecting house prices to fall [...]
Britain’s got tech talent (for now): Top VC firm warns Brexit risks UK’s crown December 5, 2016 The UK's position as the tech capital of Europe is at risk of being lost to rivals if it fails to secure access to talent and skills in Brexit negotiations, a top investor has warned. Nearly a third of European startups call the UK home, a share that could fall "dramatically" while other countries grow, [...]
City lobby group kicks off talks with chancellor over Brexit plans September 7, 2016 City heavyweights will meet with chancellor Philip Hammond today to discuss Brexit, the first in a series of industry roundtables due to take place over the coming months. It will involve several members of the newly-created trade body European Financial Services Chairman’s Advisory Committee, including Baroness Vadera, the chairwoman of Santander UK and a former Treasury minister. Read [...]
Lifetime Isa: The making of a monster November 22, 2016 While the original intentions behind the design of the Lifetime Isa in 2014 were understandable, as its launch date nears, it is set to confuse the savings landscape and go against what it was initially crafted for. In his proposal, Michael Johnson said he created the Lisa because “under-35s are so disengaged from private pensions”. He [...]
Radically simplify savings and investment so Brits can wave goodbye to exorbitant costs November 22, 2016 Chancellor Philip Hammond recently said: “now isn’t the time for lots of small changes. This is a time for consistency, preparation and steadfastness.” The government needs to follow through with this commitment and heed its own advice by immediately halting the slide towards complexity in investment and savings. The current over-complication, exacerbated by too much [...]
UK house price growth slowed again in November December 1, 2016 House prices grew by 0.1 per cent in November, with the rate of growth slowing to 4.4 per cent from 4.6 per cent in October, and analysts pointed to market uncertainty and cautious buyers and sellers having a cooling effect on the sector. The Nationwide House Prices Index showed the average price of a house [...]