Alastair Cook to consider future as England captain after talking up readiness of Joe Root to lead and India drubbing December 12, 2016 England skipper Alastair Cook admits the severity of his side’s hammering during the fourth Test in Mumbai and series drubbing against India will force him to consider his future as captain. Cook, who has led England since 2012, plans to hold talks with director of cricket Andrew Strauss in the New Year and, should he [...]
National Express flogs C2C network to Italian firm keen to get foothold in UK rail market January 11, 2017 Transport giant National Express has exited the UK rail market, flogging its final franchise to an Italian firm with grand designs to take control of Britain's rail networks. The C2C franchise, which operates trains in East London and South Essex across 26 stations, has been sold to Trenitalia in a deal worth £70m. Read more: National Express [...]
Brexit will force Ireland to reconsider its own EU membership March 22, 2017 Despite the fact that Theresa May said she would trigger Article 50 before the end of March many months ago, the reality of it happening a week today will be a final wake-up call to governments across Europe – and no more so than in Dublin. The pressure for Ireland to reconsider its future in [...]
Business rates that hit London need reform October 11, 2016 Business rates are a blunt instrument, one which is set to deliver a heavy blow to London’s retailers, offices and hotels. Rates are due to rise from next April after a revaluation of rateable values for England’s 1.85m commercial properties by the Valuation Office Agency. It is the first such revaluation since 2010. Analysis by [...]
London is the world’s greatest city because it’s both a cultural and business powerhouse January 9, 2017 "You find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” This famous quotation by British poet Samuel Johnson still holds true about our great city some 240 years later. London [...]
Putin isn’t dangerous because Russia is strong – but because it’s so weak January 30, 2017 “Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking.” – L Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz As a child, I remember being fascinated by the populist allegory The Wizard of Oz. My favourite part of the story – sure to cause me to burst out laughing even when I knew what was coming [...]
US President Donald Trump’s White House describes policy priorities on trade, foreign policy, and the economy January 21, 2017 Donald Trump’s team have taken over the levers of power, with the new President looking to reshape Washington politics in his image. Among the first actions once Trump was sworn in was taking control over the official White House website, where his team have given some signs of their priorities in office. While Trump has [...]
Businesses in Marble Arch team up to launch improvement district February 29, 2016 Businesses in Marble Arch and Edgware Road have backed plans to invest £2.5m in sprucing up the west London area after launching a new business improvement district (BID). Over 78 per cent of businesses, retailers, restaurant and hotels from Marble Arch and northern Park Lane voted in favour of setting up the new group to [...]
Expecting RBS profits is living in a fool’s paradise December 21, 2016 In just 10 days from now you will likely find yourself celebrating the end of 2016, and the start of a new year. If your headache the following morning isn’t bad enough, consider this – a decade earlier, on 1 January 2007, a share in the Royal Bank of Scotland was worth £55.80. Today, its [...]
Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices rebound as dollar surge weakens and Opec hopes revive November 18, 2016 Oil prices rebounded this morning after a surge in the US dollar weighed on the black stuff and took Brent crude below $46 and US sweet crude under $45. Brent crude flat at $46.49 a barrel this morning, lifting from a low of $45.78, as optimism that the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) managed [...]