The EC is now run by City-sceptics: An insider’s view April 2, 2012 THE European Parliament can be a frustrating place to work. When I and some of my fellow MEPs met Commission officials last week to discuss the technical details they had drafted as required by the alternative investment fund managers directive (AIFMD), it was clear the Commission had not taken on board the concerns that I [...]
Are the government’s internet monitoring proposals justified on grounds of security? April 2, 2012 YES Anthony Glees We have secret agencies to help protect us from serious organised crime, sexual exploitation and Islamist and neo-Nazi terrorism. Today, these people use the internet and mobile phones to plan and organise. These proposals will allow us to monitor them. If our security services are to deal with them effectively and keep [...]
RAPID RESPONSES April 2, 2012 Hot property [Re: UK’s overtaxed public is running out of patience, yesterday] Re: the airline passenger duty (APD). The problem is global warming. There’s a limit to how much CO2 we can pump into the high atmosphere (where it has about four times the impact as at sea level) without cooking the planet, and we’ve [...]
It’s not all doom and gloom: Our mid-sized firms are flourishing April 1, 2012 THIS week, Investec is publishing our analysis of the UK’s 100 fastest-growing privately-owned mid-sized companies. They provide hope that the country continues to develop world-class businesses that, with proprietary technology and an appetite for international markets, will be global players of the future. For those who believe the UK no longer manufactures anything, or is [...]
The inspiring tale of Falklands vet’s business triumph April 1, 2012 MY DAD was in the RAF, and I wanted to be a pilot. But after a school medical found I was colour-blind, my hopes were shattered. My dad pushed me to become an accountant, and I eventually gave in and enrolled in an accountancy degree in Dundee. From the start, I knew I wasn’t going [...]
The City prospers when it is serving the needs of the world’s economy April 1, 2012 IN Canada,we have always described the capital as a world city. It has never seemed so apt: 2012 brings with it many causes to celebrate and, with just over 100 days to go until the start of the Olympic Games, the capital will soon be awash with talented international athletes. It’s not [...]
Is George Galloway’s victory a sign that the major parties are out of touch with voters? April 1, 2012 YES Nigel Farage The Bradford West result has given the system a bit of a kick up the backside. George Galloway is a seasoned and clever performer and knows which buttons to press. It’s hard to ignore his bandwagon when it rolls into town. Respect and Ukip were the only parties to increase their votes [...]
RAPID responses April 1, 2012 Action not reaction [Re: An incompetent government hit by Spring of Discontent, Friday] Didn’t things seem to be going well a few months ago? I’m not convinced that a series of strike actions shows we’ve returned to the 70s. I lived through that decade, and things felt very different. Politicians got everything wrong. At least [...]
An uncharitable Budget has tarred major private donors as tax cheats March 29, 2012 LET’S be clear: charities rely on large donations. And the current government has, up to now, seemed committed to support philanthropy. So it was a shock to hear George Osborne announce in his Budget last week – completely out of the blue – a new £50,000 cap on income tax reliefs, including the reliefs that [...]
Why pigs in space are worth your time: The case for playing Angry Birds March 29, 2012 THIS may make me an addict turned dealer, but here’s my advice for the weekend. First, read this article. Then buy the Angry Birds Space app. It’s important to get the order right. In a world where time and resources are scarce, playing a computer game seems perverse: it expends time and money without any [...]