General Election 2015: Deloitte chief executive David Sproul wants a pro-business leader who will invest in infrastructure May 6, 2015 Election countdown: 1 day to go Every day until the final week of the election campaign, we ask a business leader to say what policies would entice them to vote for a particular party. David Sproul, senior partner and chief executive, Deloitte UK Business has led the recovery in recent years, but this cannot be [...]
General Election 2015: City A.M. means business – vote Conservative May 5, 2015 Britain enjoyed the fastest growth in the G7 last year. It is in the middle of a jobs miracle, with 1.5m more full-time jobs and youth unemployment down by 175,000 since the coalition came to power. The best-paid one per cent is now paying more than ever to the Treasury: 27 per cent of income [...]
General Election 2015: WPP founder Sir Martin Sorrell wants a UK version of the Chinese Five Year Plan and an acknowledgement that immigration benefits the economy May 5, 2015 ELECTION COUNTDOWN: 1 DAY TO GO We have been asking a business leader each day to say what policies would entice them to vote for a particular party. SIR MARTIN SORRELL: FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF WPP 1. Articulate a practical overall economic plan covering, among other things, education, infrastructure investment (hard [...]
General Election 2015: Aberdeen Asset Management boss Martin Gilbert calls for speedy coalition talks May 5, 2015 Aberdeen Asset Management boss Martin Gilbert said party leaders should move fast to form a government if tomorrow’s General Election results in a hung parliament. “The longer it takes, the worse it’s going to be,” Gilbert said yesterday. “Markets don’t like uncertainty.” The FTSE has brushed off fears of political instability in recent weeks with [...]
Nick Clegg warns of second election if Lib Dems not in government May 5, 2015 Nick Clegg has warned that the country could be forced to hold a second election before Christmas, if his party is not in government as part of a coalition. The Liberal Democrat leader and deputy prime minister said that “everybody knows that no one will win this election.” Clegg said: “The last thing Britain needs [...]
HSBC boss Stuart Gulliver warns George Osborne or Ed Balls tax hikes could drive bank from UK May 5, 2015 HSBC’S chief executive warned yesterday that the Conservative and Labour parties both risk driving the bank out of the country with tax hikes. The giant lender is looking at moving its headquarters out of the UK after more than 20 years in London, as its global business may be harmed by regulation and taxes. George [...]
Construction growth drops on General Election uncertainty May 5, 2015 Growth in the building sector fell to its slowest pace in almost two years in April, according to an influential study from Markit yesterday. The purchasing managers’ index fell to 54.2 from 57.8 in March – still firmly above the 50-mark that indicates growth, but a sharp slowdown in the pace of rising output. The [...]
London’s General Election: On the trail with Labour’s business star Chuka Umunna May 5, 2015 Our third seat profile sees Charlotte Henry talk to shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna in his Streatham seat. Find the first profile in our series here: Battle for Poplar and Limehouse at the edge of the City Find the second profile here: Lib Dem Bermondsey battler Simon Hughes still going strong Under Ed Miliband’s leadership, Labour’s [...]
Why Crossrail risks being London’s last major infrastructure project May 5, 2015 It is difficult to believe that it was half a decade ago that Liam Byrne – a Treasury minister in Gordon Brown’s government – left that infamous note for his successor. It apparently read, “Dear chief secretary, I’m afraid there is no money left… Good luck.” Of course, Byrne was only half right. Since 2010, [...]
Nick Clegg suggests no deal with the Tories if Brexit is government policy May 5, 2015 Nick Clegg has suggested that the Lib Dems would not enter a coalition if British withdrawal from the EU were government policy. Speaking on the campaign trail the Lib Dem leader said: “I would never, of course, accept being part of a government that advocated withdrawal from the European Union”. He reiterated the Lib Dem [...]