We know we've said this before, but really, truly it is a big week for Britain. The Bank of England decision on Thursday and the chancellor's fiscal statement on Friday---a particularly high stakes moment. It offers a taste of the Truss-Kwarteng economic vision. But the question looming--what promises in the mini-budget will come to fruition? And will the messages from the BoE and the government this week feel joined up?In this week's In the City, Legal & General CEO Nigel Wilson joins David Merritt and Bloomberg finance editor Katherine Griffiths to discuss what business leaders need to hear -- and whether any of it matters if they can't deliver. Plus, Bloomberg Opinion's Marcus Ashworth joins David and Francine Lacqua to discuss some headline-grabbing policies that might be coming (think scrapping bonus caps)--and whether Kwarteng's all systems go approach is winning anyone over.Get more insights from Allegra Stratton by subscribing to her newsletter The Readout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even as the UK takes a moment to reflect on the reign and passing of the Queen, new Prime Minister Liz Truss is not wasting time setting the tone for her administration. That tone? Get in line or get out. And one of the first people out is the Treasury's most senior civil servant Tom Scholar. No British finance minister in living memory has dismissed their permanent secretary immediately after moving into the role, as Kwasi Kwarteng did on his second day on the job to Scholar, who had been in the post since 2016. To discuss the significance of the sacking, David and Francine speak with Allegra Stratton, author of Bloomberg's daily UK newsletter The Readout and former Downing Street press secretary and UK economy reporter Philip Aldrick. Get more insights from Allegra Stratton by subscribing to her newsletter The Readout:https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/readout See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Liz Truss’s economic agenda has markets worried, some parts of the City are convinced that the new prime minister and her cabinet will promote the views of the square mile and financial services in a way that hasn't been the case for some time. In this week's In The City, David Merritt and Francine Lacqua speak to reporters Katherine Griffiths and Will Shaw about Truss's strategy for winning over London's financial professionals. Plus, Lord Gerry Grimstone on his relationship with Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and Baroness Camilla Cavendish on her expectations for the Truss government. Get the latest in your inbox with The Readout from Allegra Stratton https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/readout See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know you can buy a multi-million pound house via WhatsApp? Well, you probably can't. But some Londoners can. And if they want to, they call the Secret Agent. He's a top buying agent for the city's ultra-rich and he joins David Merritt and Francine Lacqua this week for an inside look on the buying and selling of London's most expensive homes. Plus, an update for the rest of us with London bureau chief Neil Callanan who says houses in England are at their least affordable level ever--a sign of a market that might be vulnerable. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tory leadership contest is inching closer to its end, but while rhetoric on the campaign trail has been primarily focused on economics, it's a type of campaign economics, not the governing kind, according to Simon French, chief economist at Panmure Gordon. He joins host Francine Lacqua for a critical look at Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak's visions for tax and spending, and suggests the best candidate is the one willing to pivot to governing economics, a switch he says Sunak is more likely to make. Plus, a taste of optimism at the end of the episode as Simon shares his outlook for UK assets. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

London paid a record price to dodge a blackout in July. But the city might not be able to dodge blackouts come winter. Javier Blas, Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering energy and commodities, tells host Francine Lacqua that if this winter is even slightly colder than normal, it's going to be difficult for the UK to keep the lights on. They discuss the reasons for the energy crisis and explore how bad it's likely to get. Plus, Bloomberg’s Rachel Morison details the government's energy plan and what Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak might do in Number 10.You can get the latest on the the energy and commodities markets from Javier and journalists stationed around the world by subscribing to Bloomberg's new newsletter, ELEMENTS. Sign up: http://bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/energy Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

London's stock market is facing the quietest period for listings since the financial crisis. British companies are instead flocking to the deeper pockets found in New York and Europe. In this episode of In The City, Francine Lacqua speaks to Mark Austin, the latest person charged with sprucing up the UK’s listing rules, about his plan to help London maintain its position as one of the world's leading financial centers. Plus, Bloomberg editor Kat Van Hoof explains why a big chunk of the IPO market share disappeared from London post-Brexit and why government efforts to attract more startups haven't paid off yet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tide is turning in the UK jobs market. Earlier this year, a shortage of skilled workers meant employees had the upper hand. But with more indicators pointing toward a recession, inflation on the rise and the cost of living crisis starting to bite, we ask is the UK job market succumbing to economic reality?David Merritt speaks to James Reed, Chairman and CEO of Reed UK, Britain's largest recruitment company, who says the rate at which vacancies have been increasing has slowed down. He also explains why the company's data doesn't paint such a bleak picture. Plus, Tom Metcalf, who heads Bloomberg's finance coverage in London, discusses the outlook for City jobs.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The winner of the conservative party leadership race is not yet decided--and yet there is already a loser: The Bank of England. The central bank has caught a lot of heat from the contest to become Britain's next prime minister. Tensions are brewing over political influence in central banking and financial regulation. This week, David Merritt unpacks those tensions with Bloomberg senior reporter Phil Aldrick and Bloomberg Television's Lizzy Burden. They discuss the history of the bank's independence, the threat it's currently facing, and whether the man at the helm of the bank, Andrew Bailey, is savvy enough to tackle the challenges. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The end of lockdown restrictions had the UK travel industry breathing a sigh of relief. But even after being given the green light, hopeful travelers were left grounded at airports across the country. And that smell? Not freshly cooked paella... but the pile of uncollected luggage festering at Heathrow's Terminal 2. With cancellations, delays, lost baggage and strikes likely to last all summer, David and Francine explore how Britain's unique brand of travel chaos is affecting the business person's attitude toward travel. Has the ease and reliability of remote working rendered work trips obsolete?The hosts divide and conquer this episode, as Francine's been whisked away for a business trip to Rome, and had her own helping of disruption. She speaks to Paul Charles, chief executive officer of The PC agency and former director of communications of Virgin Atlantic, to find out what's behind all this turmoil. Plus, Martin Ferguson, vice president of communications and public affairs at American Express Global Business Travel, tells David why he thinks business travel is here to stay and what the next leader of the Conservative party needs to do to end the turbulence. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.