I, for one, welcome our imminent driverless car overlords May 18, 2016 The only way we’d know that the government was any more on board with driverless cars was if the Queen had pulled up to the Houses of Parliament today in the back of one rather than in a horse drawn carriage. It's no wonder, considering the interest from the likes of Google, Apple and the majority of major car makers, that [...]
EU referendum: What Brexit means for the mid-market May 18, 2016 A vote in favour of Brexit presents many challenges to business but the mid-market, niche by nature and agile by necessity, is well placed to adapt. Indeed, it is fundamental that it does so: mid-sized businesses are only going to increase in their importance to the overall economy, forecast to be the fastest growing segment [...]
Instagram’s rebrand has made the app lose its charm: Why brands need to avoid the trap of over-design May 18, 2016 The unveiling of Instagram's new logo has handed us another example of a successful digital brand that has unwittingly sacrificed its ownable assets in pursuit of "modernity". Like Uber, which had a redesign in February, Instagram has removed what made it distinctive to fit into the environment it sits, in a bid to appeal to its [...]
This Rock is not for turning: Why Gibraltar backs remaining in the EU May 18, 2016 There have been moments in recent weeks when polls on the outcome of the June 23 EU referendum have been so close that I have wondered if, just maybe, the 23,000 voters I represent as chief minister of Gibraltar might be the ones that swing the vote to Remain. Statistically, we represent a fifth of [...]
Don’t give in to the Twitter mob: Social media is too often just an echo chamber May 18, 2016 Greater Manchester Police staged a simulated terror attack in the Trafford Centre last week. As with many real life atrocities, the carnage began with the mock-bomber crying “Allahu Akbar!” Following a storm of protest on Twitter, the police felt forced to apologise. Almost at the same time, a frenzied chorus rose up demanding the resignation [...]
Southern Railway strike: The RMT is ignoring the interests of commuters and its members May 18, 2016 For the second time in four weeks, the RMT union is striking on the Southern Railway network today, causing havoc for the 300,000 people we carry on their commute every day. This pointless and unnecessary dispute will doubtless infuriate every one of our customers. And I don’t blame them one bit. I share their frustration. People [...]
Has the Competition and Markets Authority missed a golden opportunity to overhaul the banking sector? May 18, 2016 Rishi Khosla, chief executive and co-founder of OakNorth, says Yes. While the CMA’s proposals will make it easier for individuals and businesses to compare and switch current accounts, and should help improve awareness and shopping around in the market, SMEs have once again been overlooked. The CMA has simply passed the buck to the Treasury, which [...]
The CMA is right to place its faith in tech, not gimmicks May 17, 2016 The CMA has made a bold call in its retail banking market investigation, ignoring continued cries to break up banks and ban the prevalent free-if-in-credit current account model, and instead putting its faith in innovation. It correctly identified that the problems in the current account market start with customers’ difficulties navigating the market. But, perhaps [...]
What to Expect at Google I/O: Beyond mobile… and reality May 17, 2016 This week the eyes of the technology industry are all on Google’s annual developer conference – Google I/O occurring from 18-20 May. The first conference since the creation of Alphabet has a brand new outdoor home – Shoreline Amphitheatre in San Francisco. While tech blogs are already awash with rumours, I’d like to share some areas to look [...]
Central banks aren’t out of antidotes, but beware the dangerous tonic of helicopter money May 17, 2016 After years of unconventional monetary policy but stubbornly low inflation, investors are asking whether central banks are out of ammunition. But central banks are not soldiers fighting a war; they are doctors trying to cure a disease. As traditional medicines fail, they try ever more experimental cures. After the standard dose of rate cuts proved [...]