Why leaving the EU will undermine London’s global competitiveness June 2, 2016 London is at the forefront of the huge changes buffeting our society and our economy, as we confront and cope with the realities of globalisation. India and China, and the emerging economies of Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brazil and others, are overturning Europe’s traditional dominance. In Africa, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia all had growth [...]
Why the true impact of Brexit on the economy is dramatically less certain than economists claim June 2, 2016 Received wisdom is that, to understand the economics of Britain’s relationship with the EU, one needs to either look forward (with so-called CGE or computable general equilibrium models) or backward (with so-called gravity and/or synthetic counterfactual models). Unfortunately, there are serious problems with both. CGE models try to simulate the future, but that future depends [...]
You’ll probably live far longer than you think – and the implications are huge June 2, 2016 What is the most important number you can think of? Your bank balance? Your mortgage? US GDP or the FTSE 100? All of these are important but the one number you should be very focused on is a guess of your own life expectancy. Get that wrong and the chances are you will get a [...]
As North Korea hails him as wise and far-sighted, does Donald Trump pose a threat to world peace? June 2, 2016 Chad Wilcox, chief operating officer at the Institute of Economic Affairs, says Yes. Donald Trump certainly poses a threat to world peace, though not for the reasons you might initially think. Libertarian political satirist PJ O’Rourke endorsed Hillary Clinton purely out of fear of Trump, warning, “they’ve got this button, you know? It’s in a briefcase. [...]
Tom Watson’s call to ban private exit polls shows that even Labour’s moderates are too far to the left June 1, 2016 Such is the state of Labour's front bench these days that deputy leader Tom Watson is considered markedly centrist, a throwback to an era when the top positions were not occupied by unreformed Marxists. But last night Watson reminded us that even the party's so-called moderates have an instinct for blunt, authoritarian interventionism, and policies [...]
Why culture change is the key to weeding out bad apples June 1, 2016 I read a magazine article recently which stated 55 per cent of respondents to a survey on the UK Senior Managers Regime (SMR) think it won’t be effective. I find that statistic surprising. To me, SMR is really about holding up principles of good corporate governance. Good corporate governance – transparency, respect, responsibility, controls – is paramount [...]
EU referendum: Would a Brexit free the UK workplace from EU red tape? June 1, 2016 The Leave campaign has said that by 2020 it will impose visa requirements on all foreign workers seeking employment in the UK. The pre-24 June scenario of EU workers having “freedom of movement” (no visas, no additional costs of hiring) will no longer apply. An Australian-type points based system will be introduced. This means employers have to satisfy [...]
Why holding the doors open for struggling businesses can also be best for creditors June 1, 2016 The UK insolvency regime plays a crucial role in our economy, and is one of the most effective in the world. It gives lenders and businesses the confidence to lend and trade, safe in the knowledge that, should things go wrong, debts will be settled in a fair and speedy manner. According to the World [...]
Putting the super back into the supermarkets: What the Co-op rebrand tells us about the current state of the sector June 1, 2016 The unveiling of the Co-op rebrand last week was the latest sign of a major shift in the supermarket arena. The brand’s decision to revert back to its origins, resurrecting – albeit also modernising – its 1968 logo, was a clear attempt to spark an emotional connection with an audience for whom loyalty is meaning [...]
Why innovation should be top of every business’ agenda June 1, 2016 Last week's announcement that the UK government will launch the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) body, a £6bn funded group to champion research and innovation, should be warmly welcomed by the UK and indeed the global business community. In modern business, everyone is trying to innovate, but very few are truly succeeding. In a world [...]