Sharecast - Ministers have resurrected proposals to send illegal migrants to Britain’s overseas territories as part of alternative options to tackle the small boats crisis. Ascension Island is one of the territories being looked at again as a possibility to take migrants to before a permanent destination for them is found. – The Times
Hiring migrants illegally will be “financially ruinous” for businesses under a new crackdown to stop Britain from being seen as soft on immigration. Fines for bosses who employ migrants in the UK illegally will triple to up to £60,000 per employee, making the practice so economically damaging that it can “put them out of business”. – Telegraph
Business confidence fell last month amid jitters over the slowing UK economy dampening company plans to hire more staff, according to a survey of more than 4,000 firms. Optimism has declined, with higher interest rates and weak global demand contributing to gloom across the services and manufacturing sectors. – Guardian
BP (LON:BP) is considering building two huge offshore wind farms in British waters without government subsidy contracts in what would be a first for the sector. Bernard Looney, the energy group’s chief executive, said it could start building the Morgan and Mona projects in the Irish Sea as soon as “late next year” and may not seek contracts from the government to guarantee their revenues. The wind farms together would boast up to 214 turbines about 20 miles off the coasts of north Wales and northwest England and could power 3.4 million homes. – The Times
NatWest (LON:NWG) has granted itself “sweeping new powers” to limit cash deposits and withdrawals, fuelling warnings that banks are forcing customers towards a “cashless society”. The high-street bank has told current account holders it is bringing in new conditions “giving us the right to set limits on inbound and outbound payments”. – Telegraph
