City firms are preparing for the worst from Brexit – but hoping for the best December 19, 2016 Well, what a year 2016 has proven to be. The UK is preparing to leave the European Union; the US – one of the world’s largest importers – is preparing to welcome a protectionist President; while impending elections in France and Germany could potentially deliver political earthquakes. It will certainly go down in the history [...]
Will allegations of Russian interference in the US election tarnish Donald Trump’s presidency? December 19, 2016 Brian Klaas, fellow in comparative politics at the London School of Economics, and author of The Despot’s Accomplice, says Yes. Republicans and Democrats agree that Russian hacking was used to help Donald Trump win the presidential election in November. While both Republicans and Democrats were hacked, only e-mails that would embarrass Hillary Clinton were released. [...]
UK banks still vulnerable to a “toxic cocktail” of taxpayer bailout risks says Treasury Select Committee chair December 19, 2016 The UK’s banks are still vulnerable to a “toxic cocktail” of risks for which the taxpayer may have to foot the bill, according to the head of the Treasury Select Committee (TSC). TSC chair and Conservative MP Andrew Tyrie is launching a new inquiry into the sector, stating that the public has a right to know [...]
Liam Fox hints at Turkey-style relationship with the EU December 18, 2016 The UK could retain access to specific areas of the European Union’s customs union after Brexit, according to the International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox. Speaking to the Andrew Marr Show, Fox suggested that the UK could follow a similar arrangement to Turkey, which broadly allows the country to engage in forms of free trade with [...]
Scotland to reveal plans of how it will stay in the European Single Market December 18, 2016 Scotland will outline how it will meet its top priority of staying in the European Single Market in plans to be published this week. Concerns linger that Prime Minister Theresa May will seek a so-called hard Brexit when triggering Article 50 prior to next March as planned – a policy that would put controlling Britain's immigration [...]
Outgoing IoD Director-General warns against immigration restrictions December 18, 2016 A LARGE swathe of British industry could be forced to shut down without a regular influx of low-skilled labour continuing after Brexit according to the IoD’s outgoing director Simon Walker. Speaking to The Sunday Times, Walker has argued strongly against restricting low-skilled immigration to the UK, just weeks before he is due to take up [...]
Farage says ministers are banned from speaking to him December 18, 2016 Nigel Farage has said that cabinet ministers have been banned from speaking to him by Downing Street. The former Ukip leader who has been close to Donald Trump since the businessman was elected President labelled British politics "small-minded, petty and tribal", speaking to the BBC's Radio 4. "I find the fact that Downing Street don't want [...]
Met Police closes investigation into Labour MP Keith Vaz December 16, 2016 The Metropolitan Police has closed its investigation into Labour MP Keith Vaz. Scotland Yard launched the probe following revelations in the Sunday Mirror newspaper. The Met said in September it would “assess” whether any criminal offences were committed by Vaz following the allegations of drug use and hiring escorts. It then launched an investigation last [...]
As the UK ambassador to the EU warns that a Brexit agreement could take a decade to reach, do we need a transitional deal? December 16, 2016 Iain Anderson, co-founder and executive chairman at Cicero Group, says Yes. When was the last time you jumped off a cliff? Never. Sounds like a very sound plan to me. As the UK looks to form new trading relationships with the EU and globally, it is vital that we don’t walk any economic plank. And [...]
Editor’s notes: Forget about Murdoch, media dominance is now an online battle December 16, 2016 For a while this week it felt as if we’d slipped back five years, as Ed Miliband and Vince Cable dusted down their criticisms of Rupert Murdoch. 21st Century Fox’s bid for Sky saw the former Labour leader take to Twitter like a student protester. “Do we want Rupert Murdoch controlling even more of [the] [...]