A woman Prime Minister. So what? July 27, 2016 Much has been made of the fact that we have our second women Prime Minister. But the question remains, what difference does it really make? In my view her appointment has multiple significance and presents us with a major opportunity. Firstly, it still has a huge symbolic value to see a woman running the country. The message that [...]
Here are the key challenges the new pensions minister will face July 27, 2016 The recent reshuffle meant a whole host of new ministerial faces both at the Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). These new ministers will have a full agenda when it comes to pensions. At DWP, the new secretary of state is Damian Green, who will be responsible for controlling welfare spending and getting people back [...]
Hermes must stamp out its negative brand image July 27, 2016 As the online shopping boom has evolved, companies providing ad hoc deliveries have expanded quickly. However, this growth may have come at a price. A probe by the Guardian into parcel company Hermes underlines the impact of the ‘gig economy’ on workers across several industries. The paper’s investigation suggests that workers were, on occasion, effectively [...]
Brexit won’t kill the EU: It’s more likely to be a long-term blessing July 26, 2016 Britain's vote to leave the European Union has engulfed the kingdom in a political, constitutional and economic storm. But it has also plunged Europe into uncharted waters. It may not be prepared for this challenging, uncertain course. We’ve so far witnessed a striking lack of consensus among policy-makers. This is not only in regards to [...]
Why Britain and America are streets ahead of Europe in cutting-edge innovation July 26, 2016 The proposed takeover of the hugely successful Arm Holdings by the Japanese giant SoftBank is in the news. Cambridge-based Arm is well placed to exploit the white hot concept of the internet of things, highlighting the UK’s recent advances in this field. The UK has also performed well in biotechnology. But the industry came under scrutiny [...]
Six steps to housing heaven: How Theresa May can kick-start a house-building revolution July 26, 2016 The new Prime Minister has been in place for two weeks now, and is getting to work to achieve her positive agenda of uniting the country and promoting all parts of it, so no one is left behind. To deliver this, there has been substantial focus on housing delivery. The social case for housing is [...]
As Amazon steps up tests in the UK, will drone deliveries really catch on among consumers? July 26, 2016 Nadav Rosenberg, partner at Entrepreneur First, says Yes. Two years ago, drone deliveries were a consumer gimmick; a PR stunt designed to push Amazon’s forward thinking brand. But this recent development is different. Having gained approval from the Civil Aviation Authority to test drones outside of warehouses, with special concessions including operating drones without a direct [...]
William Hill shows the gaming tables can turn July 26, 2016 It's eat or be eaten in the gaming sector, and 888 and Rank have decided they would rather be predators than prey. Once takeover targets themselves, the two gambling firms have joined forces to consider bidding for William Hill, which is down on its luck. They have pounced with a preliminary approach following last week’s shock [...]
The whole UK will suffer if London loses out in the Brexit aftermath July 25, 2016 Just over a month on from the EU referendum and some semblance of order appears to be returning to Whitehall. We have a new Prime Minister and Cabinet. Ministers have started talking about things other than Brexit – such as transport policy and defence. Debt markets look calmer for now. But Brexit is clearly going [...]
It’s 350 years since the Great Fire of London and we’ve still not fully learnt its lessons July 25, 2016 The Great Fire of London, which happened 350 years ago this September, destroyed more than 13,000 homes and 87 churches as it blazed for four days. Thousands of timber buildings, crowded together, proved highly susceptible to the flames. If such a fire engulfed Canada today, we estimate the cost in insurance pay-outs would [...]