Feb262017

News story: FinTech Week 2017: celebrating Britain’s status as global Fintech hub

HM Government
image_pdfimage_print

Announced by the Chancellor today (26 February 2017), FinTech Week 2017 will take place in April and showcase the sector’s successes, aim to attract more investment into Britain and share global regulatory expertise. Planned events include:

  • Innovate Finance’s Global Summit (April 10-11)
  • the government’s first International FinTech Conference (April 12)
  • Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) International Innovate Seminar (April 12)

Designed to bring together industry, government and regulators, the second UK FinTech Week will build on the success of last year’s event, and focus of the issues affecting Britain’s world leading sector, including investment, access to skills and business support to FinTech start-ups.

As part of the week, the Chancellor will host the first International FinTech Conference on 12 April in London. He will be joined by the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Simon Kirby and other market leading industry voices.

The conference, which will connect hundreds of FinTech companies from across the UK with investors from all over the world, will also include expert led discussions and panels as well as workshops from the government, FCA and financial services organisations. UK FinTech firms will have an opportunity to showcase themselves in an exhibition space and during a pitch session.

The Innovate Finance Global Summit on the 10th-11th April will convene the start-ups, investors, regulators and institutions shaping the global FinTech agenda. With over 2000 expected attendees, 100 speakers, the inaugural Pitch360 demos and Innovate Finance’s 300+ member companies, the summit will bring the global FinTech community together in London.

The two-day summit will focus on the themes driving innovation in financial services, such as the blockchain, digital identity, cyber security, financial wellness and inclusion.

The FCA will also be hosting an International Innovate Seminar on 12 April, which will bring together regulators from around the world who are working on, or have an interest in, the regulation of positive innovation and technological developments in financial services.

The seminar will provide an opportunity for regulators to share experiences, approaches and perspectives on a range of different issues and challenges related to the regulation of FinTech.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond said:

The FinTech sector is one of our fastest growing sectors, adding more than £6.6 billion into the UK’s economy and attracting more than £500 million of investment.

FinTech Week 2017 is an opportunity for Britain to build on these successes and attract further investment in our world-leading sector, ensuring we remain at the cutting edge of financial innovation.

HM Treasury’s special envoy for FinTech, Eileen Burbidge said:

The UK is already the best place in the world to start, grow and scale a FinTech company thanks to our strong financial services heritage, leadership in digital technology, strong investment landscape and progressive and innovative regulators.

This second annual UK FinTech Week will showcase all of the many strengths of the UK, and highlight the reasons why even more entrepreneurs and investors should look to the UK for value creation and market opportunities.

CEO, Innovate Finance, Lawrence Wintermeyer said:

The UK has developed a blueprint for the best FinTech ecosystem in the world through progressive government policy, an innovative regulator, and a global pool of FinTech talent that is the envy of the world. We have invited the world to the UK in April to showcase our community and share with entrepreneurs and investors why this is the place to do FinTech.

Further events taking place on April 13 will be announced nearer the time.

Feb252017

If Labour stands together we can turn back the Tory tide – Jeremy Corbyn

Labour
image_pdfimage_print

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the
Labour Party, writing
in the Sunday Mirror, said:

Theresa May talks about delivering
an economy that works for working people. But in practice, she’s doing the
opposite. 

In next month’s Budget, the Tories
are set to press on with their endless austerity: still deeper cuts to health
and social care, education and local services.

They’re now trying to take away
more money from people with disabilities – while they’re handing out multi-billion
pound tax breaks to the wealthiest. It’s the nasty party all over again.

Labour is campaigning for an
investment-led economy that restores pride to every community. And we are
determined to end to a tax system rigged for the richest. We think everyone
should pay their fair share.

On Thursday, the people of Stoke
rejected Ukip’s politics of hate and division – and its sham claim to represent
the working class. They voted instead for the NHS, decent jobs and homes,
investment and fairness.

But the result in Copeland was
deeply disappointing. Labour’s share of the vote in Copeland has been falling
for 20 years and of course I take my share of responsibility.

Both these areas, like many others
in Britain, have been left behind by globalisation and lost out from a rigged
economy.

So it’s no surprise that they
rejected the status quo by voting to leave in the EU referendum. That’s why it
was important for Labour to respect the result and vote for Article 50.

The task now is to fight for a
positive future for Britain after Brexit – not the kind of bargain basement tax
haven the Tories want to engineer.

And we must take our message of
economic renewal and fairness to every part of Britain – and show that Labour
has changed under my leadership.

The Conservatives have neglected
working people by cutting investment and letting wages stagnate or fall year
after year. Six million people now earn less than the living wage.

Labour will be campaigning for
investment in decent jobs and homes, education for all, support for the NHS and
social care, and fair taxation.

Last year Labour forced the
Government to U-turn on £4bn cuts to personal independence payments for people
with disabilities. If we stand together we can stop the latest attack
too. 

We haven’t done enough yet to
rebuild trust with people who have been ripped off and sold out for decades and
don’t feel Labour represents them.

But if we stand together, I am
confident we can do that and turn back the Tory tide. 

I was re-elected Labour leader
five months ago with a bigger majority and I am determined to finish that job:
to reconnect Labour with our working class voters and values – so we can win
power to rebuild and transform Britain, for the many, not just the few.