Why is the FTSE 100 nearing a record high with a recession looming? It ain’t the economy, stupid January 24, 2023 The FTSE 100 is becoming one massive hedge fund. That’s why it’s doing so well when all the doomsters have warned the UK is headed for a long, albeit shallow, recession over the next year. Of course, the stock market isn’t the economy. How many high street coffee shop owners do you know that worry [...]
A recession will end the era of free money and tip the scales back to the Big Banks January 24, 2023 The fintech industry and its founder has grown up in an era of free money and this is their first taste of a recession, it might give big traditional banks their dominance back, writes Nick Parminter The prevailing narrative in the corporate innovation bull market of the last 12 years was that “you can’t cut [...]
Almost no one is happy with Brexit, but stronger EU ties will be in inches not miles January 24, 2023 A Swiss-style relationship with the EU post-Brexit is not on the table. The government must find a smart way forward focusing on the key areas where strong cooperation is most needed, writes Joel Reland
Explainer: The case for a social energy tariff January 23, 2023 As a cold snap hits the UK, people are being paid conserve energy in case we (say it quietly) face blackouts. But it has also reignited a debate on social tariffs, with gas prices set to stay high for years to come. It’s freezing. In London last night, it was -5 degrees and you can [...]
The deja vu of Nicola Sturgeon shaking her fists at Westminster in the courts January 23, 2023 Holyrood and Westminster have been locked in a gender reforms fight. But if Sturgeon thinks she has good chances to win this battle in the courts, she should think twice, writes Eliot Wilson
Westminster might quarrel with Scotland, but the City and Edinburgh get on just fine January 23, 2023 Nicola Sturgeon and Rishi Sunak's government have gone head-to-head, but the financial institutions in London and Scotland are busy keeping our relationship strong, writes Chris Hayward
Britain needs to run in circles, especially when we buy new clothes and other goods January 23, 2023 It might not make a dent in the cost-of-living crisis, but soon people will be able to get a small cash sum for every plastic bottle they recycle. The scheme, lauded by environmental campaigners, was finally approved last Friday. A rare slice of positive news, however, was overshadowed by a familiar problem in this Broken [...]
Explainer: Why are the super rich leaving London? January 20, 2023 And why did the extra-rich settle down in London in the first place?
Analysis: Britain’s rail firms on a delayed ride to nationalisation January 20, 2023 As if the rail operators weren’t in enough hot water, with nurses having to get seven buses to work and poor Rishi Sunak forced to hop on a private plane because the trains are so unreliable. Yesterday, they were given a talking to by the rail regulator for fudging the numbers, with the TransPennine Express, [...]
BritishVolt’s collapse is disturbing but it’s not surprising January 20, 2023 BritishVolt's collapse is alarming news for Britain's automobile and electric vehicle industry, but it's not surprising after we failed to build the infrastructure we needed, writes former Nissan exec Andy Palmer.