From Volkswagen and Glencore to the Black Cab protest: Here’s what got us talking this week September 25, 2015 There was an alarming protest in Croydon (with an excellent response from Debenhams). There was an eyebrow-raising development in the world of robotics. And somewhere in the CIty, some window cleaners were left hanging. On the side of skyscraper. For several hours. Here's what got us talking this week Could you fall in love with [...]
Autumn Statement 2014 drinking game (use Tennant’s, tea or tequila) December 3, 2014 Are you thirsty for tax policies? Comforted by a large cup of hot pension news? Or fizzing over with anticipation for more infrastructure funding? This is the game for you. When you hear the Autumn Statement buzzword – take the correct number of sips. Hard working families 1 sip Long-term economic plan 1 [...]
A place in the sun: Your guide to buying a home in Spain October 5, 2015 Many Londoners have a hankering to buy a second home abroad, and Spain ranks as one of the most popular places to own one. There are officially 750,000 British people living in Spain, and thousands more who own property but live in the UK. Spain’s economy was hit hard by the financial crisis, and [...]
Volkswagen car emissions scandal: VW’s crisis shows the cost of having unclear values September 23, 2015 The scandal surrounding Volkswagen’s rigged emissions tests, which may affect 11m vehicles, has rightly caused outrage. The carmaker is in crisis, its chief executive has resigned, consumers are shocked, and Volkswagen’s share price has dropped by nearly a third. The company announced that it is setting aside almost £5bn to cover the costs, although [...]
Calais migrant crisis: Manston Airfield will be “temporarily used” to relieve pressure on M20 during Operation Stack August 4, 2015 The department of transport has announced Manston Airfield will be temporarily used to “provide additional capacity” for cross-Channel freight when Operation Stack is in place. The disused airfield in Kent will be used as an emergency lorry park, holding freight in the short-term to reduce pressure on the M20 during Operation Stack, the department of [...]
The economic risks looming for small firms – Investec Comment August 31, 2015 Last week’s sharp sell-off in equity markets, apparently sparked by fears over the health of the Chinese economy, dramatically highlighted the risks to the global economic outlook. But the UK is still likely to enjoy moderate growth for at least the next two years. The CBI last week upgraded its UK forecasts for 2015 and [...]
Volkswagen emissions scandal: We need more power for shareholders, not less – The City View September 23, 2015 This column warned yesterday that people already suspicious of the motivations and practices of the corporate world would be buoyed by the scandal engulfing Volkswagen. A cloud of noxious fumes still lingers around the reputation of the carmaker, and is likely to do so for a long time yet. So it is with [...]
UK migration crisis: How much would it cost the UK to let in all the asylum seekers? August 4, 2015 Nightmarish scenes around the fence bordering the Calais end of the Channel Tunnel in recent days have epitomised what Theresa May has labelled a global migration "crisis". But is it a crisis? What if the UK just gave up and let everyone in? We ran the numbers, and it would cost the UK taxpayer about [...]
We won’t end the UK’s culture of debt without tackling dire gaps in financial knowledge October 28, 2015 We all have financial ambitions in life: to buy our first car, to buy our first home, or to build a secure and healthy pension pot for our retirement. But while the vast majority of us have financial goals, less than half have a savings plan in place to deliver them. And what many [...]
Budget 2016: George Osborne’s speech in full March 16, 2016 George Osborne has just revealed the Budget for 2016. There was good news for businesses with corporation tax being sliced and business rates being reformed – but bad news for smokers and students who hate maths. Mr Deputy Speaker, Today I report on an economy set to grow faster than any other major advanced economy in [...]