We owe it to the next generation to show leadership June 22, 2018 The morning after I attended the Mansion House Banquet, my young daughter asked me what the meeting was about, and what did I think? I explained it was about the Lord Mayor of London hosting an annual dinner for bankers and merchants, and when lots of speeches are made, and where the Chancellor can make [...]
Prime Minister gives Hammond and Clarke the nod for Lords February 6, 2020 Boris Johnson has nominated two of his most vocal critics – who he punished by removing the whip last year – for peerages. Former chancellors Ken Clarke and Philip Hammond were both sacked by the Prime Minister for blocking his plan to press on with a no deal Brexit in October. Although some of the [...]
Editor’s Notes: Check back in with the forecasters in 2033 November 30, 2018 The Treasury’s Brexit scenarios, released this week, boiled down to a claim – made with pinpoint accuracy – that the Prime Minister’s deal will leave the UK economy 3.9 per cent smaller in 15 years, compared with staying in the EU. In other news, PwC estimates that artificial intelligence will increase UK GDP by 10.3 [...]
The new Brexit Wars episode is out: May the force be with you December 17, 2018 Maybe it’s just me, but the Stormtroopers in the new Star Wars movies never seem to have the same menace as the old ones. Last week, Jacob Rees-Mogg and his colleagues in the eurosceptic European Research Group (ERG) of the Conservative party looked like they believed that they had gone old-school – Empire Strikes Back. [...]
Government discount rate U-turn set to hand insurers £2bn boost September 7, 2017 Ministers today handed Britain’s insurance sector a £2bn boost after deciding to row back on a controversial decision to change the way personal injury claims are calculated. Lord Chancellor David Lidington unveiled a number of changes to the Ogden discount rate, which determines how much is paid to claimants. Included in the government proposals is [...]
General Election 2019: Boris Johnson urges UK to ‘let healing begin’ December 13, 2019 This was a live blog, thank you for following along Read more: UK stocks and sterling surge as Tories triumph at pollsRead more: Election live: Who were the big MP casualties?Read more: UK housebuilders rejoice as shares rise after Tory win 04.30pm: Over and out! That’s it for today – we’re off to get some [...]
Pressure mounts on the CMA to break up accountancy’s Big Four October 1, 2018 The UK’s competition body has been told to “bare its teeth” and investigate breaking up the Big Four accountancy firms, as it prepares to announce a decision on whether it will investigate the sector. Three senior politicians from across the main parties have called on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to find ways to [...]
The fintech revolution is democratising finance, and London is leading the way March 26, 2018 It has been a busy seven days for those who work in fintech or follow its developments closely. A week ago today, we saw unlikely partners come together at the start of the Innovate Finance Global Summit. The City’s 800 years of Gothic grandeur of the Great Hall played host to leading innovators, investors, politicians, [...]
Brexit: Irish border can be solved with max fac customs proposal, claims Policy Exchange in Lord Trimble-backed report May 9, 2018 The Irish border problem can be solved with the “max fac” customs proposal favoured by Brexiters, according to a new paper endorsed by former Northern Ireland minister Lord Trimble. The “maximum facilitation” – or “max fac” – option would allow so-called trusted traders to cross the Northern Ireland and other EU borders freely, aided by [...]
Lord Hill: Government should prioritise growth over continuity with EU after Brexit – it cannot have both January 30, 2018 Former EU Commissioner Lord Hill has told the government it is "going to have to choose" whether it wants continuity or competitiveness after Brexit – and suggested it should plump for the latter. Hill, who was the commissioner for financial stability, financial services and capital markets union for two years until the referendum, told the [...]