Russia will weaponise a refugee crisis if we’re not prepared to open our arms February 25, 2022 Putin has invaded Ukraine. He was never going to be satisfied with only taking Donetsk and Luhansk. The result will be a bloody and likely protracted war accompanied by another refugee crisis as many Ukrainians make the heart-wrenching decision to desert their home. Britain has a long and proud history of welcoming refugees, especially from [...]
London Stock Exchange’s FTSE 100 plunges by more than 200 points as Ukraine war heats up rapidly February 24, 2022 The London Stock Exchange’s leading FTSE 100 index plunged more than 200 points, or 2.7 per cent, within moments of opening in reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In response to the situation in Ukraine, Boris Johnson is leading a crisis meeting of senior ministers and officials to consider how to respond to Vladimir Putin’s [...]
Bank of England Governor Bailey doubles down on pleas to go easy on pay demands February 23, 2022 The Governor of the Bank of England yesterday doubled down on his pleas to workers to temper pay demands despite households facing the worst cost of living squeeze in a generation. Andrew Bailey added to his previous comments when responding to a grilling by MPs, also calling on businesses to exercise restraint during price setting [...]
Firms on the hunt for staff despite labour squeeze February 23, 2022 Employers are planning on expanding their workforce despite an ongoing labour squeeze scuppering recruitment efforts, reveals a new survey published today. A net 24 per cent of companies intend to ramp up hiring over both the medium and long term, according to a survey by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). Strong hiring intentions indicate [...]
Brits brace for multi-pronged living standards crunch as inflation hits new 30-year high February 16, 2022 Brits will be hit by a multi-pronged squeeze on their living standards this year, economists are warning after new figures published today revealed inflation has climbed to a fresh 30-year high. A combination of accelerating price rises, tax hikes and higher interest rates will erode Brits’ finances at the worst rate since the late 1940s, [...]
Starmer says entitled to ask for pay rise in rebuke of Bank of England February 16, 2022 Workers have every right to ask for a pay rise amid the UK’s surging inflation rate and cost of living crunch, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said. In a direct rebuke of comments made by Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey, the Labour leader said “it’s very difficult to universally say” to workers that [...]
Bank of England to look through weaker growth and send rates to financial crisis levels February 16, 2022 The Bank of England will look through weaker than expected economic growth this year and send interest rates to levels not seen since the financial crisis, experts are betting. Zeroing in on eradicating rampant inflation in the UK at the expense of providing a floor for the economy will drive the Bank to launch the [...]
Inflation nears 30-year high as consumer price index climbs to 5.5 per cent February 16, 2022 UK inflation has remained at a near 30-year high after rising further in January as Britain remains in the grip of a tightening cost-of-living squeeze, according to official figures. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation reached 5.5 per cent in January, up from 5.4 per cent in December and [...]
UK inflation to scale even higher as cost of living squeeze tightens February 14, 2022 Inflation will soar even further above a near three decade high this week as the squeeze on households tightens its grip, City experts are betting. Fresh figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Wednesday will reveal the the cost of living is running at 5.5 per cent, according to the consensus forecast [...]
Week ahead: City’s gaze turns to fresh inflation figures February 13, 2022 All eyes in the City this week will be on fresh inflation figures as investors brace for another shocker of a print. Most economists expect inflation to firm even further, jumping to 5.5 per cent in January from 5.4 per cent in December. That would still leave the cost of living at around a 30-year [...]