Critics accuse Bank of England of using its forecasts to play with politics November 28, 2018 The Bank of England sparked a row today after publishing analysis of its ‘worst case Brexit scenario’ just 13 days ahead of a crucial Parliamentary vote on Theresa May’s deal. The controversy was sparked when governor Mark Carney unveiled the Bank’s latest ‘stress test’ assessment of the UK’s ability to withstand dramatic economic shocks, including [...]
John McDonnell agrees Labour support for new Brexit referendum is ‘inevitable’ November 28, 2018 Labour’s John McDonnell believes it is “inevitable” his party will soon back another referendum on Brexit. In an interview on Wednesday afternoon, the shadow chancellor gave the clearest indication yet Labour will fully endorse another vote on the UK’s relationship with the EU. Labour’s official position is it would push for a general election if Theresa [...]
UK economy will be worse off under every Brexit scenario, government’s own analysis confirms November 28, 2018 The UK economy could take a 3.9 percent growth hit under a deal that resembles Theresa May's Brexit plan, the government has said. A report published on Wednesday morning argues that life outside the EU will leave the UK poorer than if it had stayed inside the bloc in a range of scenarios over the next 15 years. [...]
Hammond: Prime Minister’s Brexit deal minimises economic costs November 28, 2018 Chancellor Philip Hammond defended the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal this morning, claiming it comes at a very small economic cost. Hammond also warned that a no-deal Brexit would be far more expensive than the withdrawal agreement negotiated by Theresa May. May’s deal faces a crucial vote in parliament on 11 December, and Hammond warned the [...]
Donald Trump dumps on Theresa May’s Brexit deal November 26, 2018 Donald Trump gave Theresa May a Brexit headache on Monday evening, describing the agreement reached between London and Brussels as "great for the EU." The US President also warned the government's proposed deal with the EU could prevent a future trade deal between the UK and US. Trump's comments came as the Prime Minister was [...]
Chancellor Philip Hammond says Brexit deal better than staying in the European Union ahead of May’s summit with EU leaders November 24, 2018 Chancellor Philip Hammond has said Theresa May's Brexit deal is better than staying in the EU, as the Prime Minister heads to Brussels for a summit with European leaders. Hammond said he disagreed with Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster who said the deal was a worse outcome for Britain than a Jeremy Corbyn [...]
Fairytale economics will not enchant markets November 14, 2018 In a remarkable break with the economic prudence of the past decade, policymakers in the west are taking their feet off the spending brakes. During the recent midterm elections in the US, President Trump hailed the continuing stream of positive economic data and Democrats’ warnings about the cost of tax cuts failed to cut through. Meanwhile the [...]
Government caves on fixed-odds betting terminal reform in face of parliamentary backlash November 14, 2018 The government has U-turned on delayed changes to fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs), bringing forward a widely called-for cap on stakes to April, after the sports minister resigned over the issue. Shares in gambling companies rallied sharply on the news with GVC up 8.1 per cent, Paddy Power Betfair up 7.5 per cent, William Hill up 2.1 [...]
Consumer spending falls in October as shoppers continue to abandon the high street November 13, 2018 UK consumer spending dipped in October after having risen for two months, with an e-commerce rebound propping up a two per cent fall in face-to-face sales. Expenditure has fallen in six of 10 months so far this year, adding to a cocktail of concerns for bricks-and-mortar retailers, according to Visa UK Consumer Spending Index data [...]
Thousands of stores fall off high street as retail woes worsen November 9, 2018 Fresh evidence of the retail woes facing Britain’s shopkeepers emerged this morning, with more than 2,500 stores vanishing from the high street over the first six months of this year. Some 14 stores have closed every day in the first half of 2018, as stiffer competition and higher costs make the retail struggle for survival [...]