Exclusive: Crossrail safety issues spiral in 2019 with record rate of near-misses December 17, 2019 High risk incidents in the construction of Crossrail doubled this year, in a trend that an engineering company contracted by Transport for London (TfL) has described as “worrying”. Crossrail records the number of incidents that could, in different circumstances, have caused death or serious injury. This year, Crossrail workers have been involved in 50 of [...]
Playing FTSE: How a global index was born in London November 30, 2020 It is now more than two decades since FTSE was founded – becoming common parlance not just in the City but across the business world. FTSE’s founder Mark Makepeace has teamed up with respected business journalist James Ashton to tell the story of the FTSE – and how it grew from nine people in an [...]
Easyjet chair attacks founder for piling pressure on management during coronavirus crisis April 19, 2020 The chairman of Easyjet has attacked founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou for piling pressure on the airline’s management team during the coronavirus crisis. Haji-Ioannou has repeatedly criticised Easyjet’s management for its order of 107 Airbus jets which was signed in 2013 at an estimated cost of £4.5bn. Last week he called for a vote to oust [...]
The UK can’t afford to delay a vital 5G rollout October 1, 2020 Making Britain more competitive requires investment in digital infrastructure – especially 5G The Government set itself a mighty task in announcing its determination to ‘level up’ the British economy last year. But that challenge has become all the harder in recent months. Growth in economically disadvantaged areas was already keenly sought but the impact of [...]
Sizewell C: Nuclear plant under scrutiny over Chinese role June 3, 2020 A quiet corner of the Suffolk coastline is set to become a new frontier in the debate over the UK’s changing relationship with Chinese foreign direct investment. Last week EDF submitted a planning application for Sizewell C, a new 3.2 gigawatt nuclear plant which could provide enough power for 6m homes. The project has been [...]
Virgin Atlantic says it is still in talks with UK over bailout April 26, 2020 Virgin Atlantic today said it was still in talks with the UK government about a state bailout to deal with the travel shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The airline said talks were ongoing after the Sunday Telegraph reported that discussions had been “effectively shelved” and Virgin’s owner Richard Branson was now seeking a buyer [...]
Apple’s retail network pays just £6.2m tax on £1.4bn UK sales July 9, 2020 Apple’s UK retail arm paid just £6.2m in tax last year, despite raking in sales of almost £1.4bn as demand for its products boomed. Accounts filed today for Apple Retail, which manages its UK store network, showed revenue jumped 15 per cent in the 12 months to September 2019, despite not opening any new stores. [...]
Rolls-Royce says mini nuclear reactors could be rolled out by 2029 January 24, 2020 Manufacturer Rolls-Royce today said that the UK could be using power generated by mini nuclear reactors by 2029. The engineering firm is currently working with a consortium of firms including Atkins, BAM Nuttall, and Wood to develop a compact power station that is manufactured in sections and then assembled on site. Speaking to the BBC, [...]
Competitive sectors face the hardest hit from coronavirus March 31, 2020 The package of economic support offered by the Treasury — from a standing start — is one of the most impressive among any western country. But the cascading consequences of the coronavirus crisis mean that there are all kinds of areas where the pleas for help continue to come. Small businesses, for example, are the [...]
Eurozone consumer confidence hits lows last seen in financial crisis April 22, 2020 European consumer confidence tumbled this month towards the record lows seen during the financial crisis in 2009 as the continent braces itself for a deep recession caused by coronavirus lockdowns. The European Commission (EC) today said its gauge of consumer confidence for the Eurozone fell to minus 22.7 points, down from minus 11.6 in March. [...]