Financial services firms are worried about prospects for the UK economy, with Brexit remaining the biggest risk, a study shows. Research by Lloyds Bank found that executives in the sector believe growth in this country will be outpaced by all other nations in the G7 this year.
Facebook has suspended a Canadian data firm that played a key role in the campaign for the UK to leave the EU. The social media giant said AggregateIQ (AIQ) may have improperly received users' data. It cites reported links with the parent company of Cambridge Analytica (CA), the consultancy accused of improperly accessing the data of millions.
English fishermen are taking part in a day of protests against what they say is an abject betrayal over Brexit. Protesters gathered in Plymouth, Whitstable, Hastings, Portsmouth, Milford Haven and Newcastle. Fishermen say promises of immediate control over UK waters on leaving the EU next year have been dropped.
Christopher Wylie's specialty was to predict fashion trends before starting work at 17 for a Canadian politician, at 18 he participated in Obama's campaign to learn about his data management and later he helped to found Cambridge Analytica (CA), the consultant accused of misuse of data of about 50 million users of Facebook. However, Wylie said he feels regretful.
The Bank of England signaled on Thursday that it remains on course to lift interest rates in Britain this year and next, as figures showed a yearlong squeeze on consumers caused by a steep fall in the pound appears to be coming to an end.
UK inflation was weaker than expected in February easing some of the squeeze on households' spending power but doing little to change bets on a Bank of England rate rise in May. Official data showed consumer prices rose by an annual 2.7% last month, the weakest increase since July of last year and down from a rise of 3.0% in January.
UK and EU have agreed on a “large part” of the agreement that will lead to the “orderly withdrawal” of the UK. Negotiators Michel Barnier and David Davis said the deal on what the UK calls the implementation period was a “decisive step” in the Brexit process, although some of the issues still to be resolved include the Northern Ireland border.
The UK and the European Union have agreed the terms of a transition deal that covers Gibraltar but also maintains Spain’s controversial veto, according to a report from the Gibraltar Chronicle. Gibraltar is included within the territorial scope of a draft withdrawal agreement that also sets out arrangements to smooth the UK’s departure from the bloc after March 2019.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has dismissed claims that people crossing the Irish border would have to pre-register after Brexit. Speaking from the United States, where he is conducting a series of St Patrick’s Day engagements, the Taoiseach said: “No, it is not a solution that we envisage.”
The UK will come to regret its decision to leave the European Union, Brussels’ top official has claimed. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said things “cannot remain as they are” for the UK in its relationship with the EU after leaving the bloc.