Pressure mounts on the CMA to break up accountancy’s Big Four October 1, 2018 The UK’s competition body has been told to “bare its teeth” and investigate breaking up the Big Four accountancy firms, as it prepares to announce a decision on whether it will investigate the sector. Three senior politicians from across the main parties have called on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to find ways to [...]
Bumper summer and Booker buyout set to boost Tesco profits September 30, 2018 Tesco will be hoping to post strong first-half profits on Wednesday, as a blistering summer heatwave, successful World Cup run and a royal wedding are all likely to have boosted the firm’s performance. Consensus estimates compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence show that earnings before tax (excluding exceptions) could hit £795m in the first six [...]
Character assassination: Business bosses are starting to realise that Twitter has a price September 30, 2018 It is not boardroom discord or tumbling profits that are causing mayhem for Elon Musk, the maverick and publicity-hungry Tesla chief who is set to lose his role as chairman. It’s his Twitter habit. His case exemplifies how Twitter, the social media platform that can send 280 poorly chosen characters right round the world in [...]
Raising stamp duty for foreigners won’t fix Britain’s housing crisis September 30, 2018 It can't be easy, being Theresa May. The Prime Minister faces constant battles on several fronts – grappling with negotiators in Brussels, rebutting opposition parties in Westminster, and fending off leadership plotters within her own ranks. Little surprise the domestic policy agenda can sometimes seem like an afterthought. Ahead of this week's Tory party conference [...]
Boris Johnson is ‘irrelevant and offensive’ says top business guru Digby Jones September 30, 2018 Boris Johnson was dismissed as "irrelevant and offensive" today by one of the UK's top businessman today. Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, Lord Digby Jones attacked the former foreign secretary over reports he said "fuck business" when told of concerns from the sector over Brexit. Johnson refused to deny the claims when [...]
Tory civil war deepens as Boris Johnson lays into ‘deranged’ Chequers plan September 30, 2018 Boris Johnson poured salt on the wounds of Tory Party divisions this morning, branding Theresa May’s Brexit blueprint as “entirely preposterous” and “deranged”. In comments that are likely to fuel further speculation about his leadership ambitions, Johnson widened the rift between himself and the Prime Minister by saying: “Unlike the Prime Minister, I campaigned for [...]
War of words: Former Brexit minister brands CBI a ‘grave menace to political stability’ in damning attack September 30, 2018 A former Brexit minister and leading Tory backbencher has launched a remarkable and scathing attack on Britain’s largest business lobby group today, branding the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) “a grave menace to the political stability and economic prospects of the UK”. In a hard-hitting article that claims the CBI is no longer the voice of [...]
Iranian foreign minister claims country is close to European oil deal despite US sanctions threat September 30, 2018 The Iranian foreign minister claimed last night that Tehran was drawing close to an agreement which would allow the country to sell oil to European nations, in spite of threats by the United States that it would impose sanctions on countries that do business with Iran. Iran is planning to avoid US sanctions on its [...]
Theresa May unable to guarantee no hard Irish border in case of ‘no deal’ Brexit September 30, 2018 Theresa May today was unable to promise there would be no hard border with Ireland if the Brexit talks break down, instead repeating the UK would do “everything it can” to avoid customs checks. Speaking just hours before the Conservative Party conference is due to start in Birmingham, the Prime Minister launched a defence of [...]
Musk to step down as Tesla chairman and pay $20m fine in settlement with US regulators September 30, 2018 Elon Musk is to step down as chairman of Tesla after settling a fraud lawsuit with US regulators over tweets he made about taking the firm private. The billionaire boss of the electric car-making firm has also agreed to pay a $20m (£15m) fine from the US securities and exchange commission (SEC), staving off a [...]