Michael Gove has come back before and he can do it again June 12, 2019 When the front pages of weekend newspapers began to spill online last Friday night, I realised a story I had been working on for a year was about to explode. ‘Gove: My cocaine confession’ was the most stark headline, accompanied by the first instalment of a serialisation of my unauthorised biography of the environment secretary. The book [...]
Neil Woodford’s investment trust shares rise after slide triggered by fund suspension June 11, 2019 Neil Woodford’s listed investment trust’s stock rose this morning following a share price slide after the former star trader’s flagship fund was suspended. Shares in Woodford Patient Capital Trust were up more than eight per cent today. Read more: FCA chief Andrew Bailey calls on Woodford to waive management fees The suspension of Woodford’s Equity [...]
Brexit dogma is a one-way ticket to extinction for London’s Tories June 11, 2019 As 11 candidates prepare to enter the race to succeed Theresa May as Conservative party leader and Prime Minister, London Tories have their own identity crisis to worry about. They just chalked up a new electoral record: 7.8 per cent of the vote, fifth place citywide, and zero MEPs returned to the European parliament. Ex-Tory [...]
‘Is this serious?’ Boris Johnson’s £39bn threat gives City the jitters June 10, 2019 Boris Johnson’s threat to withhold the UK’s £39bn Brexit divorce bill raised eyebrows in the City yesterday and provoked a strong reaction from across the Channel. The former mayor of London vowed to hold onto the cash to force the EU to give Britain a better withdrawal deal, as part of his pitch to become [...]
Boris Johnson vows to hold back £39bn Brexit divorce bill to force EU into a better deal June 9, 2019 Boris Johnson has threatened to force the European Union’s hand by withholding Britain’s £39bn “divorce” bill until it agrees to more favourable terms to leave. The former mayor of London made his first pitch to become Prime Minister by vowing to keep hold of the cash, scrap the Northern Irish backstop and guarantee the rights [...]
DEBATE: President Donald Trump’s state visit faced protests in London. Is it possible to separate the man from the office? June 7, 2019 As people protest Donald Trump’s state visit, is it possible to separate the man from the office? YES, says Olivia Utley, deputy editor at TheArticle. Heads of state and prime ministers, as their name tags at international conferences suggest, represent their states, not themselves. International relations, particularly in a complex multi-polar world, require that we [...]
Fund spotlight: UK Buffettology Fund June 7, 2019 | City Talk by Dzmitry Lipski from interactive investor. interactive investor’s analysts give an update and view on the UK Buffettology Fund. Warren Buffett’s recipe for success looks simple but few have successfully managed to replicate it. His well-known ‘Business Perspective Investing’ principles are hard to follow consistently and require patience, discipline and an ability to look at an investment like you [...]
Philip Hammond’s virtue signalling on low pay is hypocritical June 7, 2019 Philip Hammond may soon be out of a job. In fact, I would be very surprised if he remains chancellor of the Exchequer for more than a day or two after our new Prime Minister is chosen. Hammond is fond of reminding his critics that his demise has been predicted before. Yet while the Tory [...]
We must not forget the value of the US special relationship June 7, 2019 75 years ago, Allied forces mounted Operation Overlord. The largest military operation ever attempted began the process of freeing the European continent from the jackboot of Nazi tyranny. So familiar are we with the general story of D-Day that it is easy to forget some of the extraordinary details. By June 1944, more than two [...]
Theresa May, take comfort from knowing that leaders change all the time in business June 7, 2019 Two weeks ago, as Theresa May stood outside Downing Street to announce her resignation, you would have been hard-pressed not to feel a degree of sympathy, regardless of political affiliation. But the truth is that what can look like a bruising resignation is sometimes exactly what’s needed for an organisation to move on and – [...]