Exclusive: Javid to make first statement since exit February 26, 2020 Sajid Javid will today make a short statement in Parliament, his first public intervention since he resigned as chancellor just under a fortnight ago. Javid stepped down after being asked to fire his aides by the Prime Minister as part of a drastic reorganisation of Number 10 and 11 Downing Street. Refusing, Javid said “no [...]
Screenshot: Will London ever be ready for tech IPOs? April 2, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Volkswagen’s awkward U-turn **Will London ever be ready for tech IPOs? **Amazon goes bonkers for bots Media Moment of the Week: Volkswagen’s awkward U-turn There are few things as grating as the forced joviality of April Fool’s Day and it should, in this writer’s opinion, be cancelled. That [...]
Budget 2020: Chancellor dodges fiscal rule change as borrowing rises March 11, 2020 UK chancellor Rishi Sunak has deferred a decision over changes to Britain’s spending rules, saying he will consult experts and report back in the autumn. The decision came as the chancellor announced the UK budget deficit would rise to 2.4 per cent of GDP in the 2020-21 financial year, up from 2.1 per cent this [...]
Exclusive: It takes a bot to catch a bot, says advertising chief January 12, 2021 Alongside its early challenges and uncertainty around digital ad spend, 2020 has been a big year for digital advertising as the pandemic forced businesses and consumers moved online. City A.M. spoke with Mayfair-based Nick Morley, EMEA Managing Director at online ad verification giant Integral Ad Science, which analyses the value of digital advertising placements. UK [...]
Number 10 mulls over tax on over-40s to cover social care costs March 8, 2020 Plans are being considered by the government to implement a new tax on over-40s to help fund their own old age care. The new plan, reportedly being pushed by health secretary Matt Hancock, would see workers over the age of 40 pay 2.5 per cent of their income to pay for their future old age [...]
Coronavirus: Ryanair to ground ‘most if not all’ flights next week March 18, 2020 Ryanair has said that it will ground the vast majority of its flights from next Tuesday, only maintaining essential services between the UK and Ireland, in light of widespread coronavirus travel bans. In a statement, the budget carrier said that “most if not all Ryanair Group flights will be grounded” as passenger demand collapses due [...]
The quiet crisis: IR35 and the UK’s forgotten freelancers July 10, 2020 In a crisis which has shaken so many aspects of our lives, it can be hard to get some issues heard above the noise. News that would once have made headlines seems to slip almost unnoticed under the radar. One such development was the quiet confirmation that changes to IR35 self-employed taxes will come into [...]
Budget: Chancellor says coronavirus will be ‘front and centre’ as PM wishes minister speedy recovery March 11, 2020 This morning’s Cabinet meeting was dominated by a debate around coronavirus, after it emerged overnight that a health minister had tested positive. Mid Bedfordshire MP Nadine Dorries, who is a health minister, revealed she had the disease but was “over the worst of it”. She raised concerns about her elderly mother who “began with the [...]
Mortgage payment holidays extended until October May 22, 2020 The financial watchdog has today extended payment holidays to support those struggling to pay their mortgage due to coronavirus. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said banks can extend the mortgage holidays for a further three months up to the end of October. It comes after chancellor Rishi Sunak extended the furlough scheme to October to [...]
Coronavirus: CBI calls for urgent economic relief for ‘stranded middle’ businesses March 31, 2020 Support must be given to “stranded middle” businesses who are not eligible for the government’s coronavirus relief package and are at risk of going bust, according to the CBI. The government’s £330bn business interruption loan scheme is open to companies with revenue of less than £45m, while large investment grade companies can access the Bank [...]