A Bank of Britain is the best way to build a Big Society May 8, 2012 HARD economic times call for bold measures. With evidence that the UK is back in a technical recession, we propose the creation of a Bank of Britain. This would be a citizen-focused bank, designed to advance the Big Society. The government has already launched Big Society Capital, with capital mostly provided by the big four [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING May 10, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES Qatar targets 10 per cent of Xstrata Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund plans to buy at least 10 per cent of Xstrata as part of a long-held strategy to invest in Glencore, suggesting the Gulf state could provide crucial support to the pair’s $90bn merger deal. Several of Xstrata’s shareholders said they would oppose [...]
Babcock sees profits boost from austerity May 15, 2012 DEFENCE services group Babcock International expects a profit boost from austerity measures, as governments farm out more work to the private sector to cut costs. “The current economic climate is favourable to the further growth of our business,” chief executive Peter Rogers said yesterday, adding that 2012-13 earnings should be ahead of Babcock’s previous expectations. [...]
A tax on heritage attacks the heart of local business April 23, 2012 THE decision to withdraw VAT relief from approved alterations to listed buildings may not just change the face of Britain by sounding the death knell for hundreds of cherished buildings, but also damage local economies and community services. Listed buildings – only three per cent of all buildings – are protected as the best surviving [...]
Should sanctions be lifted before Burma reforms? April 15, 2012 YES Derek Tonkin SANCTIONS are a potentially valuable tool but, unless they can be carefully targeted, their effects can be counterproductive. Burma is a case in point. The effectiveness of sanctions has been minimal because no country in the region agreed to support the West. Burma’s immediate neighbours, notably China and Thailand, have captured the [...]
French presidential election hits markets as yield spread widens April 23, 2012 NERVOUS investors weighed down on markets yesterday, after socialist Francois Hollande won the first round of voting in the French presidential election. Hollande has been an outspoken critic of austerity measures in the Eurozone and last week tweeted in support of a “fight against finance”. In Paris the CAC 40 index tumbled throughout the day, [...]
French presidential election hits markets as yield spread widens April 23, 2012 NERVOUS investors weighed down on markets yesterday, after socialist Francois Hollande won the first round of voting in the French presidential election. Hollande has been an outspoken critic of austerity measures in the Eurozone and last week tweeted in support of a “fight against finance”. In Paris the CAC 40 index tumbled throughout the day, [...]
Contradictions in new bank rules create fresh risks May 1, 2012 ECONOMIC issues will dominate political discussions about the votes taking place across the EU in the coming month. As well as our own local elections, there are local elections in Germany and Italy, presidential elections in France and Hungary, a general election in Greece and a referendum in Ireland on the EU’s new fiscal treaty. [...]
Contradictions in new bank rules create fresh risks May 1, 2012 ECONOMIC issues will dominate political discussions about the votes taking place across the EU in the coming month. As well as our own local elections, there are local elections in Germany and Italy, presidential elections in France and Hungary, a general election in Greece and a referendum in Ireland on the EU’s new fiscal treaty. [...]
Government borrowing rises March 21, 2012 The government borrowed almost twice as much as expected in February, official data showed. With Britain’s triple-A rating now under warning from credit ratings agencies, the government must convince markets that it will stick to its ambitious deficit-reduction plan and stand up to calls to ease back on the pace of cuts. The Office for [...]