Breaking up is hard to do, so why not put a ring on audit? November 23, 2018 Never have there been more eyes on audit. Sir John Kingman is examining the Financial Reporting Council and how audit can best be regulated. The Competition and Markets Authority is investigating competition and choice in the listed audit market. The BEIS Select Committee announced last week that it too will scrutinise audit, and the Audit [...]
How to capitalise on the electric car revolution October 23, 2018 Electric vehicles have existed since 1828, and yet their prevalence in popular society has remained the stuff of science fiction for more than two centuries. It’s only recently that electric cars have become commonplace, helped partly by government policies – such as the planned ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by [...]
Inflation will push living costs 10 per cent higher than pre-crisis peak February 15, 2017 Inflation could push the cost of living 10 per cent higher than before the financial crisis by 2020, with 11m families below a poverty benchmark, according to a new report. Almost a third of the UK’s population falls below the minimum income standard measure used in the report by academics at Loughborough University and the [...]
Halfway through Sadiq Khan’s mayoral marathon, the capital is in desperate need of a leader May 21, 2018 Ifo you listen carefully in the direction of City Hall, you can hear Sadiq Khan gasping for breath as he reaches the halfway point of his mayoralty marathon. It’s been a struggle for the past two years since his election, during which living in London has become increasingly difficult. The cost of living is going [...]
James Brokenshire has no time to waste in fixing the capital’s housing crisis May 2, 2018 As James Brokenshire takes up his new role as housing secretary, his top priority must be to fix the capital’s broken housing market. It is no exaggeration to say that London is in the midst of a housing crisis. Demand far outstrips supply; while we have built 200,000 new homes over the last decade, London’s [...]
Eight retirement planning traps and how to avoid them July 26, 2018 1. Not reviewing your pensions It is important to review your pension situation regularly. If you find you have a shortfall, you may still be able to take steps to increase the chances that your pension pot will be able to achieve the income you want when you retire. The Money Advice Service has a [...]
Theresa May declares ‘austerity is over’ as she lifts cap on how much councils can borrow for housebuilding October 3, 2018 Theresa May declared the end of austerity is in sight as she unveiled plans to let councils borrow more cash to tackle the housing crisis. In her speech to the Conservative conference on Wednesday, the Prime Minister hinted at a financial boost for the UK's public services after Brexit, in a bid to show the [...]
DEBATE: Would a ‘citizen’s inheritance’ of £10,000 to 25 year olds help tackle intergenerational inequality? May 9, 2018 Would a ‘citizen’s inheritance’ of £10,000 to 25 year olds help tackle intergenerational inequality? Olivia Utley, news and features editor at Reaction, says YES. In Britain, there has always been a tacit deal between the old and young. The young will look after the old, and in exchange, the old will help the young have [...]
Seize the chance for radical housing reform May 3, 2018 Britain – and London in particular – needs a sweeping overhaul of the planning system. We are building a fraction of the homes we need to keep up with rising demand, and with a third of young people now faced with spending their entire lives renting, the crisis cannot afford to be brushed under the [...]
Holiday Homes: Morocco is re-fashioning itself into a hotspot for the international polo crowd with houses to match September 7, 2018 In pride of place on the wall of the Jnan Amar Polo Club in Marrakech is a picture of Sir Richard Branson. Taken in 2014, it shows the grinning Virgin mogul at the first British Polo Day, held at these Moroccan grounds for the first time and contributing a tidy donation to the Eve Foundation, [...]