Scottish independence: UK government has no back-up plan September 1, 2014 The UK government has no contingency plan to deal with a “yes” vote on 18 September, according a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron. The FT reports that the spokesman said UK officials have no precise plan for what they would do if Scotland chose independence on 18 September. “No such work (is being) [...]
Independent Scotland’s only plan B would be the Euro says Ed Balls August 24, 2014 With Alex Salmond evading questions on a plan B for an alternative to keeping the pound in the event of a "Yes" vote, Ed Balls has decided to outline a backup for him. According to the shadow chancellor, the "least worst" option for a post-yes-vote Scotland would be to lobby for membership of the single [...]
Lloyds Banking Group may sell Avant Homes for £170m November 3, 2014 Building firm Avant Homes is considering an offer from a consortium of investment companies made up of Alchemy Partners, Angelo Gordon and Avenue Capital, a source close to the discussions has confirmed. All three of the bidding companies are focused on making distressed investments. Avant is being sold by Lloyds Banking Group, with KPMG advising [...]
Will interests rates rise early after No vote in the Scottish independence referendum? September 19, 2014 The No vote in the Scottish independence referendum could make an interest rate next spring more likely. Despite the No vote, however, the consensus is that it remains unlikely that rates will rise before then. A Yes vote could well have postponed any hike. In a recent speech Mark Carney said he saw a rate rise next [...]
Scottish independence: BT, TalkTalk, EE, Telefonica, Vodafone and Three warn of increased costs if Scots vote Yes September 14, 2014 Six of Britain's leading telecoms companies are the latest to warn of potential price rises if Scotland votes Yes to independence. The chiefs of BT, TalkTalk, EE, Telefonica UK, Vodafone UK and Three UK have issued a joint letter warning that the uncertainty around regulation and spectrum allocation, which mobile networks use to operate, could [...]
Salmond’s independence folly: A Yes vote will damage more than just Scotland September 2, 2014 In less than three weeks’ time, we will know the outcome. Will the United Kingdom still be united, or will the 307-year old Union break? In global London, the question of Scottish independence may seem somewhat archaic. But should Scotland go its own way, the implications will be felt well south of Hadrian’s Wall. To [...]
US buyout firms club together in £2bn Nets deal March 24, 2014 US BUYOUT firms Advent and Bain Capital yesterday joined forces with Danish investor ATP to snap up card payment firm Nets, the latest sign of a revival in private equity club deals. The two US firms will pool their resources with ATP to pay 17bn Danish crowns (£1.9bn) in cash for the company, which is [...]
David Cameron and Ed Miliband head to Scotland for last minute campaigning as union hangs in the balance September 9, 2014 Leaders of the UK’s three main political parties all fly to Scotland today in a last-ditch attempt to persuade Scots north of the border to vote against independence in just eight days’ time. David Cameron, along with Labour’s Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, made the unprecedented move of cancelling Prime Minister’s question [...]
NatWest offers classes for SMEs September 28, 2014 NATWEST is to spend £15m over the next five years offering classes and funds for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the bank said today, in RBS Group’s latest initiative to show it supports small firms. The scheme consists of eight sites around the country where small companies will be offered classes and guidance over a [...]
Scottish independence: Official campaigns barred from high schools August 22, 2014 With less than a month to go before voters north of the border decide whether to ditch the United Kingdom, 27 of Scotland's 32 local councils have barred the two sides from senior schools. Although the official campaigns may find themselves stuck outside the school gates, pupils are, of course, free talk about the merits [...]