Cars and aircraft could be next target for Russian sanctions August 19, 2014 Russia could hit back against Western nations with bans on imported cars if the US and the EU and introduce additional sanctions, Russin newspaper Vedomosti has reported. Russia's involvement in Ukraine has already led to a host of sanctions being imposed, including measures against the energy and finance sector and travel bans for top officials. [...]
Independence would put Scotland’s entrepreneurial economy in jeopardy September 16, 2014 WITH the polls in chaos, and the likely result far from certain, it’s understandable that rival groups of influential Scots continue to argue the business case for and against independence. But amid all the interventions by large corporations, one important area has been neglected – what independence would mean for smaller businesses and entrepreneurs, both [...]
The Startup Manifesto: Why the digital economy has never been a bigger political issue September 3, 2014 The UK’s digital startups are thriving – we have the fastest-growing digital economy in the G20 and have created 11 tech companies worth over $1bn in the last decade. British digital successes like Zoopla, Shazam and YPlan are now household names, and in London alone the tech sector is forecast to create 46,000 jobs and [...]
Slump in May construction adds to industrial woes across Europe July 17, 2014 CONSTRUCTION output in the Eurozone dipped during May, according to new official figures – the worst drop in nearly a year and a half. Production in the sector fell by 1.5 per cent from April, with Germany being the hardest hit of the bloc’s major countries. The powerhouse economy’s building output dropped by 4.9 per [...]
Business figures get behind Maggie’s campaign July 14, 2014 City figures such as Centrica’s Sam Laidlaw and Gerald Kaye of Helical Bar, have got together to back a £5m scheme to build a new cancer care centre in the centre of the capital’s banking district. The scheme for St Barts Hospital, put forward by charity Maggie’s at Bart’s request, will be presented to the [...]
Property tax could deter foreign investment, specialists warn July 26, 2014 A capital gains tax that the government is planning to impose on some property owners could hinder investment in the private rented sector, tax specialists and investors have told the FT. The tax, due to begin in April next year, would affect anyone holding homes through a company structure. It was originally developed to [...]
Contactless Tube payment: Just the latest advance in the UK banking revolution September 15, 2014 You could be forgiven for thinking that London’s trams might be an unlikely place to find cutting edge technology. But from today, this iconic and characterful mode of public transport – along with our more conventional Tube stations and buses – are offering technology that allows you to pay your way with just a flash [...]
Cost of living crisis myths: How Miliband could deliver a real pro-poor agenda September 22, 2014 Labour’s party conference will see Ed Miliband try to shift public focus away from the Scottish referendum fallout and back towards the choice at next year’s general election. In particular, he’ll seek to refocus our minds on the “cost of living crisis” narrative that he’s been composing since 2011. Policy announcements over the weekend suggest, [...]
Firms launch TripAdvisor for bank loans in a bid to lift competition May 27, 2014 SMALL businesses are now able to compare banks on a new site designed to show which lenders can help them the most. The Business Banking Insight website has been put together by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The pair commissioned a survey of 5,000 small firms by pollsters ICM [...]
L&G backs social landlord June 2, 2014 Legal & General (L&G) has provided social landlord Housing Solutions with a £50m loan as part of its expansion into the UK housing sector. The Berkshire-based group plans to use the 40-year loan to help build 1,600 homes around Maidenhead over the next six years, where housing is in short supply.