ShareSoc News

FRC webinars re audit reform

Following publication of the Government’s consultation Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance the FRC will be hosting a series of webinars and roundtables to provide further insight on key aspects of the consultation and to provide interested stakeholders with an opportunity to share their views and comment on the government’s proposals.   Further details about how to participate in the FRC’s extensive engagement programme is available here. The FRC have organised a series of webinars for those interested in the Government's latest consultation ...

FRC consultation on Audit Quality issues – ShareSoc/UKSA joint response

ShareSoc News Item, by Cliff Weight, Director. Proposal to adopt ISQM (UK) 1 Quality Management For Firms That Perform Audits Or Reviews Of Financial Statements, Or Other Assurance Or Related Services Engagements, ISQM (UK) 2 Engagement Quality Reviews, and revise ISA (UK) 220 (Revised November 2019) Quality Control For An Audit Of Financial Statements ShareSoc and UKSA made a joint response to this FRC consultation. The key points we made were: We believe most shareholders look to audits of annual financial statements to underpin their confidence and trust ...

Feedback on the FRC’s Draft Plan and Strategy and Budget 2021/ 2022.

Official News Item by Cliff Weight, Director  ShareSoc and the UK Shareholders Association made a joint response to the FRC on the FRC’s Draft Plan and Strategy and Budget 2021/ 2022. Our key points were: We believe that this sets out sufficiently clearly the FRC’s plans and strategy for the coming year. We are not able to comment in any detail on the proposed budget but we believe that, with minor exceptions, it provides as much information as most stakeholders are likely to require. We ...

Woodford Campaign Update 4
8 March 2021

  Solicitors Leigh Day, whose claim ShareSoc has endorsed, have now submitted their Letter Before Action (LBA) to Link Fund Solutions Limited. ShareSoc and Mello Events present a new free event, Woodford Debacle – Reflections, Redress and Reform from 6 to 8.30pm on 9th March, reviewing in detail what went wrong with Woodford, the various claims for redress, what steps investors should take. We urge everyone to tell their Friends and Family about the Campaign, Leigh Day Claim and the webinar. ...

Press Release 119:
Compensation for Woodford investors
Major milestone hit by Leigh Day claim

  Leigh Day commences legal proceeding on behalf of investors in Woodford case Half a million Woodford Equity Income Fund investors now need to do 3 things:         Leigh Day, the leading group action law firm, today sent its Letter Before Action (LBA) to Link Fund Solutions Limited (Link), on behalf of over 4,000 registered clients. This is the first formal legal step in the group action on behalf of investors in the Woodford Equity Income Fund (WEIF) against Link (the authorised corporate ...

Portfolio Adviser, 5 March 2021
Press coverage of Leigh Day Letter Before Action

A ShareSoc news item by Cliff Weight, Director. Portfolio Adviser carries a detailed report on Leigh Day sending its Letter Before Action (LBA) to Link in relation to the Woodford debacle, with quotes from ShareSoc Chair Mark Northway. “It’s fantastic news that another critical milestone has been hit in Leigh Day’s legal claim against Link. We are delighted for Woodford WEIF investors and gratified that we have endorsed this claim,” said Sharesoc chairman, Mark Northway. “Sharesoc reviewed the various potential claims and concluded that ...

FT, 4 March 2021
Private investors lose out in corporate bids

A ShareSoc news item by Cliff Weight, Director Private investors lose out in corporate bids- Takeover Panel must change rules to compel companies to disclose acquisition approaches sooner ShareSoc Patron Lord Lee is campaigning for better disclosure in relation to takeover bids and has written this excellent detailed article in the Financial Times. There have been a number of occasions when individual investors have lost money by buying or selling shares when they were not privy to information which arguably should have been disclosed to ...

House of Commons Treasury Committee
Future of Financial Services Enquiry
Consultation Response

A ShareSoc news item by ShareSoc Director Cliff Weight ShareSoc and UKSA submitted a joint response on 19th February 2021. In summary we said: A long history of regulatory failures demonstrates serious deficiencies in the way financial services are currently regulated. The UK’s departure from the EU means that the UK can now set its own financial services rules, untrammelled by the views of 27 other countries. We believe that major changes are required, particularly in the following areas: Making the best ...

HM Treasury Financial Services
Future Regulatory Framework Review
Phase II Consultation Response

A ShareSoc news item by ShareSoc Director Cliff Weight The fundamentals of financial regulation are under question Recent regulatory failures (for example Woodford, the mis-selling of mini-bonds peddled by London & Capital Finance, Wellesley, and the failure to protect pensioners being pressured by advice on pension transfers from commissioned agents) have forced a welcome review of current practice. ShareSoc and UKSA are responding to make sure the interests of ordinary savers and investors are properly safeguarded. Two separate consultations are in progress, for HM ...

Woodford Campaign Update 3
21st February 2021

1. ShareSoc and Mello Events will present a free event, Woodford Debacle – Reflections, Redress and Reform from 6pm to 8.30pm on 9th March. We will review in detail what went wrong with Woodford, the various claims for redress and what steps investors should take, including how to claim. 2. ShareSoc’s Press Release of 6 February formally launched our Campaign just before Neil Woodford announced his “apology” and his return to fund management. 3. Leigh Day, whose claim ShareSoc has endorsed, has secured ...

Press Release 118: Woodford investors
What should you do now? Is compensation possible?
Free 9th March Webevent

  The extensive Woodford coverage of recent days has highlighted the fact that most potential claimants didn't know and weren't being told of the options for redress available to them. Half a million Woodford Equity Income Fund investors now need to do three things: Join ShareSoc's Woodford Campaign. Register for the March 9th Webinar - covering the background to the Woodford Debacle and how investors can claim redress. Join Leigh Day's claim #WoodfordPayback. ShareSoc, the highly influential investor lobby, believes ...

Press Release 117: Woodford investors odds of recovering losses get boost as lawyers Leigh Day reach key milestones

Over half a million investors in the Woodford Equity Income Fund now have a much better chance of recovering significant losses, as the legal move from Leigh Day, backed by ShareSoc’s Woodford Campaign, becomes the first to reach funding and claimant costs insurance agreements. ShareSoc, the highly influential investors body, believes it’s in the best interests of all those who lost money in the Woodford Equity Income Fund (WEIF) to join both the Leigh Day claim and the linked ShareSoc Woodford ...