Mortgage approvals roar to five-month high as recovery “takes hold” March 25, 2015 Mortgage approvals have the wind of low borrowing rates in their sails and have stormed to a five-month high. The number of mortgage approvals jumped to 37,305 in February, up from 36,517 in January. A bit of context is revealing: they are still 20 per cent lower than in February 2014. What is more, approvals [...]
In charts: Are UK house prices suffering from pre-election blues? March 25, 2015 The housing market could be facing a case of pre-election blues. The customary January demand-surge just never arrived. But is this cause for concern or just the market stabilising? The figures Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show that the rate of house price growth in the UK slowed to 8.4 per cent in the [...]
The number of women on FTSE 100 boards has almost doubled in the last four years March 25, 2015 Gender diversity on the FTSE 100 has taken a big jump towards reaching government targets, and has almost doubled in four years. The annual report by Lord Davies of Abersoch shows that companies are making efforts to meet the government’s target of 25 per cent, with the total now at 23.5 per cent. That's an [...]
Could the SNP block the Conservatives from government by voting down the Queen’s speech? March 24, 2015 The Scottish National Party (SNP) could block a minority Conservative government by voting down the Queen’s speech, according to former chief Alex Salmond. The move would not be effective if the SNP acted alone, but could prevent Tory governance if Labour joined in. It is possible that, in the absence of any one party gaining [...]
Germanwings Flight 4U9525: Air travel is getting safer March 24, 2015 After the tragic loss of Germanwings Flight 4U9525 this Tuesday, air travel has again been thrust into the news. The plane went down over a remote part of the French Alps, and no survivors are expected to be found. The largest piece of wreckage that could be found was apparently the size of a car. Such [...]
Interactive: 33 charts showing how UK inflation compares to every inflation rate in every EU country March 24, 2015 Today was the day the UK hit the threshold: inflation fell to 0 per cent, its lowest since the current measure of inflation began in 1989. More on this story: UK inflation falls to its lowest since records began The fall was caused by dropping energy and food prices, fueled by the global oil-price slump and [...]
General Election 2015: Labour will not raise VAT if it wins – Ed Balls March 23, 2015 The Labour party will lay down a significant general election marker today, with a pledge that VAT will not rise if it is elected to power on 7 May. Shadow chancellor Ed Balls will announce the new manifesto commitment during a speech in Birmingham. Balls will say: Today I can announce a clear pledge [...]
Jeremy Clarkson is an accident waiting to happen says former BBC director general Greg Dyke March 23, 2015 While tanks and protesters form ranks around Jeremy Clarkson, the detractors are growing in force too. Greg Dyke, a former director general of the BBC, has branded besieged Top Gear presenter Clarkson an accident waiting to happen. The BBC, said Dyke, is in a tough spot and cannot really win either way when its official [...]
Tsipras and Merkel sound conciliatory tone after Berlin meeting March 23, 2015 Greece took its negations for EU cash all the way to Berlin today, where Prime Minsiter Alexis Tsipras met the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. The meeting appeared to go well, with both sides appearing keen to find common ground and there did seem to be genuine warmth between the two leaders. Looks like it was [...]
General Election 2015: I’ll step down after second term, says David Cameron March 23, 2015 David Cameron will not serve a third term as Prime Minister if he is reelected. The Conservative leader told the BBC he would lead the country for the full five years of another parliament and then step down. After 10 years in power, he said, “it will be time for new leadership”. When asked about [...]
