London businesses ‘unaware’ of improvements to apprenticeship levy May 16, 2019 Only a quarter of London businesses are aware of the improvements to the apprenticeship levy that were announced in the Spring Statement, new research shows. In March the government announced that from April employers would see the co-investment rate the pay for apprentices cut from 10 per cent to five per cent. Read more: Apprenticeship [...]
Launch of $2.5bn Asian bond a ‘vote of confidence’ in London Stock Exchange May 15, 2019 A $2.5bn (£1.9bn) bond from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) was welcomed by the London Stock Exchange (LSE) today, with its launch dubbed “a vote of confidence in the UK”. Read more: London Stock Exchange boosts income and notes improved listing environment The five-year bond will list on the LSE’s main market on 17 [...]
Brexit talks: Still no progress in discussions between the Conservatives and Labour May 13, 2019 Brexit talks between the Conservative and Labour frontbenches ended in stalemate yet again on Monday despite frantic speculation a crunch vote was set for later this week. Tory MPs were told a three-line whip was in operation for Thursday – meaning an important vote was scheduled – before it was downgraded to a one-line whip. [...]
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo invokes Iron Lady as he slams UK over Huawei decision May 8, 2019 US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has ramped up the rhetoric against Huawei, invoking the legacy of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as he urged the UK to take a tougher line on the Chinese tech firm. In an impassioned speech, Pompeo slammed the UK’s reported decision to allow Huawei to build parts of its [...]
Hammond to consult businesses and unions on minimum wage amid reports of planned ‘significant increase’ May 5, 2019 Philip Hammond will hold a roundtable next week to discuss how to fight low pay, after reports he is looking at a significant increase to the minimum wage. Read more: Our people are our City, so step up and commit to the London Living Wage Sources close to the issue told the Observer he was [...]
Penny pincher? Treasury saves 1p and 2p coins after threat to loose change May 3, 2019 The Treasury has decided the UK will retain copper coins for “years to come” after their future had been in question. Read more: DEBATE: Is biometric technology the future for digital payments? In the Spring Statement in 2018 chancellor Philip Hammond had called for a consultation on the mix of coins and banknotes in circulation. However, [...]
Pennies saved as Philip Hammond sets up committee to protect access to cash May 3, 2019 Cash machines will be protected by a new government-led committee, Philip Hammond will announce today as he unveils a new taskforce to safeguard access to physical money. The Treasury-led group will coordinate work across the country to ensure people can still get to their cash in an increasingly digital payment focused economy. The Chancellor will [...]
Tech sector activity gets a boost despite falling optimism April 30, 2019 Business activity growth in the UK technology sector has recovered to its fastest pace since the second quarter of 2018, while optimism fell to a 10-year low. The strength of business activity rose to 54.4 in the first three months of 2019, up from 52.3 at the end of last year, according to data from [...]
Tech sector activity gets a boost despite falling optimism April 30, 2019 Business activity growth in the UK technology sector has recovered to its fastest pace since the second quarter of 2018, while optimism fell to a 10-year low. The strength of business activity rose to 54.4 in the first three months of 2019, up from 52.3 at the end of last year, according to data from [...]
A new book about austerity has put Keynesian economists on the defensive April 29, 2019 Notoriously, economists quarrel about almost everything in their subject. But since the publication of John Maynard Keynes’ General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money in 1936, they are supposed to agree on one point: that increases in government spending boost demand and output, and reductions in government spending depress them. Indeed, according to the theory, a [...]