Retail giants to be hit by £190m business rate bill as industry fears ‘tipping point’ September 19, 2018 UK retailers are set to face a fresh tax bill worth hundreds of millions of pounds if today’s inflationary figures remain similar next month, with embattled high street businesses fearing another hefty levy could push the sector to its limits. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) predicts that the retail sector will be slapped with a £190m [...]
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: Royal Mint releases special coin to commemorate the royal wedding May 1, 2018 Brits may not be getting a bank holiday for this year’s royal wedding, but that hasn’t stopped the Royal Mint from designing a special coin to “commemorate the momentous occasion”. The £5 coin will be available from 1 May in three versions to mark Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle on 19 May at Windsor [...]
Editor’s Notes: Without the UK, the EU can resume its march to ever closer union, Nex’s Michael Spencer backs British bubbly and Lady Wilson remembered June 15, 2018 Earlier this week I chaired a discussion at TheCityUK’s annual conference, where several people, including the lobby group’s chairman, John McFarlane, stressed the point that “there’s life beyond Brexit”. It can’t be said often enough, given how much of our national attention and energy has been sucked into the black hole of Brexit: the uncertainty, [...]
Salisbury spy poisoning exposes insurance gap around chemical and biological attacks April 30, 2018 The head of Pool Re, the government-backed terrorism reinsurance pool, has called for a debate on the insurance industry’s reaction to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents following the attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury last month. A report published today by Pool Re highlighted the risk to [...]
Last Week in the City: Amazon buys a pharmacy June 29, 2018 Garry White, chief investment commentator, looks at the market-moving events that have shaped the UK equity markets this week (25 to 29 June 2018). The FTSE 100 traded little over the week, despite a rally in oil prices. There was more bad news from the retail sector after The John Lewis Partnership warned on profits [...]
The EU’s doublethink on smoking in films is such a drag November 29, 2017 In a senate discussion on the price of cigarettes, French health minister, Agnès Buzyn, said that she is ready to clamp down on le problème le plus important: smoking in films. The horror. The health minister insinuated that characters who smoke in films encourage young people to do the same. If only to add legitimacy [...]
Explore Ontario with the First Nations – Manitoulin Island offers an insight into Canada’s rich cultural heritage February 9, 2018 Flags line the terminal as I land at Toronto Airport, celebrating ‘Canada 150’, the official birthday of the nation. My trip to a remote part of Ontario, however, would reveal that there is much more to the country’s history than the past century and a half. This was my first time in Canada, and as [...]
Quit doublethinking and ask the tough questions about the NHS January 11, 2018 George Orwell created the concept of doublethink in 1984 to describe a state of brainwashing so profound that it is possible to believe two mutually contradictory opinions at the same time. We have reached this point with the NHS. Ask people whether the NHS needs more money, and the answer will be as quick as [...]
Raise a glass: Britain’s beer exports rose in 2016, making it the third most valuable food or drink export March 4, 2017 British beer exports rose six per cent in 2016 according to new figures published by the HMRC, making beer the UK's third most valuable food and drink export. Chinese interest in British beer skyrocketed last year, rising 500 per cent following pictures of Chinese President Xi Jinping enjoying a pint with former Prime Minister David Cameron in [...]
Prime Minister David Cameron: Pubs will stay open later on 10th and 11th of June for Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday March 23, 2016 Pubs will be allowed to stay open longer on 10 and 11 June as part of nationwide celebrations marking the Queen's 90th birthday, Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed today. Downing Street said that subject to a consultation process with licensing authorities, the pub industry and community groups, pubs that are licensed to trade until 11pm will be allowed [...]