Keir Starmer lashes out at Rishi Sunak over second lockdown delay November 2, 2020 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has lashed out at chancellor Rishi Sunak, blaming him for blocking a “circuit breaker” lockdown in September and demanding that he do more to support the economy amid new restrictions.
Sadiq Khan pushes for extension on business rates holiday for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses November 2, 2020 London mayor Sadiq Khan has written to the housing secretary Robert Jenrick to request an extension to the business rates holiday for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses, which was due to end in March 2021. In a joint letter with the Chair of London Councils, Khan requested an extension to the rates holiday, which was [...]
Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank return London staff to home working November 2, 2020 Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank are to return non-essential staff in their London offices to home working ahead of the introduction of a new coronavirus lockdown in England on Thursday. Several major banks had been encouraging staff to return to their London offices in recent months following the relaxation of initial lockdown measures, but news [...]
Goldman Sachs and Citi slash UK GDP forecasts on news of second lockdown November 2, 2020 Goldman Sachs and Citi have sharply cut its economic forecasts for the UK in the fourth quarter following news of a fresh national lockdown in England to curb the second wave of coronavirus infections. In a client note, Goldman analysts said the US investment bank now expects UK GDP to shrink 2.4 per cent in [...]
Watchdog extends loan payment holidays ahead of second lockdown November 2, 2020 The UK’s financial watchdog will extend payment holidays on credit cards, car finance, personal loans and pawnbroking ahead of a second coronavirus lockdown in England. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said that consumers who had not yet had a payment deferral under guidance issued in July would be able to request a payment holiday lasting [...]
‘No alternative’ to second lockdown, PM to tell MPs November 2, 2020 Boris Johnson is expected to tell MPs that there is “no alternative” to a second lockdown later today as he seeks to garner support for new restrictions which are due to come into effect on Thursday. In a statement to Parliament, he will warn that deaths from coronavirus could be twice as high as in [...]
Taxpayers to bear brunt as lenders hike interest rates on emergency loans November 1, 2020 Taxpayers are bearing the brunt of hefty interest rates and arrangement fees charged by lenders providing emergency loans for struggling businesses. The Sunday Times reported that some specialist lenders are charging fees as high as five per cent of the whole loan, and in some cases charging interest rates as high as 15 per cent. [...]
London lockdown: What the Government’s new rules mean for you November 1, 2020 There are differences between the first UK-wide lockdown of the Spring and what will come into effect from Thursday, so what do new restrictions mean for Londoners?
New £1.8bn TfL bailout agreed at the eleventh hour November 1, 2020 Transport for London (TfL) will receive £1.8bn in government support to see it through until March after a second bailout deal was finally agreed last night. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the capital’s transport network has seen revenue dry up amid the collapse in passenger numbers. In March TfL received £1.6bn in the [...]
Business groups welcome furlough extension as ‘survival mode’ kicks in November 1, 2020 Business groups have welcomed the extension of the furlough scheme, but warned that the new lockdown means that firms will be back in “survival mode”. Last night PM Boris Johnson announced a month-long lockdown is to begin on Thursday and last until 2 December. With just hours to go before the furlough scheme was set [...]