SSE announces price freeze until 2016 March 26, 2014 One of the Big Six energy companies, SSE, has announced that it’s freezing domestic gas and electricity prices at their current levels until January 2016. It's also splitting its retail and wholesale businesses to "improve transparency". SSE says profits will be lower because of the freeze, but it intends to streamline and simplify its business [...]
Politicians clamour to take credit for SSE price freeze March 26, 2014 POLITICIANS yesterday rushed to take credit for SSE’s pledge to freeze energy prices until 2016, despite the big six supplier combining the move with plans to slash its renewables investment and axe jobs. Prime minister David Cameron said the government’s decision to roll back some green levies from customers’ bills was responsible for the decision. [...]
Against the Grain: We should all be anxious about rising divisions – even if intolerance is falling November 26, 2013 BRITAIN is becoming more sharply divided on ethnic lines, according to a worrying study just published by the think tank Demos. Over the past decade, more than 600,000 white people have moved out of London to areas which are more than 90 per cent white. The effect has been strongest among white Britons with children, [...]
SSE defends its dividend ahead of bill increase November 13, 2013 SSE YESTERDAY posted a rise in profits and defended its decision to hike its dividend, mere days before an 8.2 per cent increase to customers’ bills will take effect. The FTSE 100 energy firm reported pre-tax profits of £336.4m for the six months to 30 September, a sharp increase from losses of £40.9m the previous [...]
Energy bosses hit out at plans to rejig market October 1, 2013 THE BOSS of energy firm SSE yesterday called for the government to incorporate the cost of its green initiatives into taxation to bring down bills, rather than forcing a price freeze as proposed by the Labour party. In an open letter to the leaders of the three major political parties, Alistair Phillips-Davies said “while rising [...]
2013 Royal Family gift list revealed January 15, 2014 It might not come as too much of a surprise that, for the Royal Family, a gift is not just for Christmas – they receive them all year round. And today, Buckingham Palace has released a list of what was received in 2013. Below are the items the Queen alone received last year. Highlights for [...]
Gritty draw lifts Harry’s QPR hopes November 27, 2012 SUNDERLAND 0 vs QUEENS PARK RANGERS 0 QUEENS Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp insists the toughest challenge of his career looks a fraction less trying after inspiring the Premier League’s basement club to a battling draw in his first match in charge last night. Goalkeeper Rob Green’s outstanding reaction save to thwart a Steven Fletcher [...]
Chambers makes Olympics cut July 3, 2012 OLYMPICS: Sprinter Dwain Chambers, a former drugs cheat, has controversially been selected in Team GB’s athletics squad for London 2012. Among those joining him is Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah, Phillips Idowu, Dai Green and Christine Ohuruogu.
Rangers shoot for £20m junior market offering October 11, 2012 TROUBLED Scottish football club Rangers yesterday announced plans to raise up to £20m through a listing on London’s Alternative Investment Market as the team’s new owners seek to rebuild the business. Rangers has endured a disastrous year, with the club – who have won the league a record 54 times – declared insolvent and forced to restart life [...]
CITY VIEWS ARE YOU WORRIED THE EU CRISIS HAS ENTERED A NEW PHASE? May 8, 2012 PAUL PHILLIPS CADDIS BUILDING CONSULTANCY I wouldn’t say I was worried that the Eurozone crisis has reached a new phase. It is inevitable that the changes in Greece and France this weekend have injected more uncertainty. But this has also stemmed from the UK falling into a second recession. Lending is still an issue across [...]