Robots won’t take all City jobs – they could even give you a pay rise September 11, 2014 You're back from the summer, but for how long? In case you missed it, one tech visionary thinks many City jobs could be automated within a decade. Dave Coplin, who glories in the title of chief envisioning officer at Microsoft UK, told the Telegraph that “the City could be run by algorithms”. Ten years is [...]
The referendum is a triumph of democracy – and Scotland will prosper however it votes September 11, 2014 After months of campaigning, the waiting is nearly over. It is hard to understate the level of emotion that is being felt throughout the United Kingdom, but particularly in Scotland, about the referendum. Placards for Yes and No are scattered across the entire length of Scotland. Over 2m people watched one of the TV debates. [...]
Could a Yes vote in the Scottish referendum prompt independence contagion in Europe? September 11, 2014 Pompeu Casanovas, professor of political science at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, says Yes. Independence movements involve a spread of feelings that can run very fast over the internet, particularly if the time is ripe. The Arab Spring taught us not to underestimate digital political environments. However, Scottish independence could have other effects on stateless [...]
Forget Apple Watch: Intelligent virtual assistants are the next tech revolution September 10, 2014 THE APPLE Watch is just the latest exciting development in wearable technology. But the prospect of consumers interacting with Siri on their smartwatches also hints at another impending revolution in how we access digitised knowledge. Today, we stand on the brink of the third wave of computing – where machines become capable of learning and [...]
Devo max is a cheap last-gasp offer – but a federal UK may be the happy result September 10, 2014 WHATEVER the outcome of next week’s referendum on Scottish independence, of one thing we can be sure: the constitutional settlement that had helped make the Union such a success for 300 years will be tainted. This settlement had just about held together after devolution. However, many of us in the other Home Nations have been [...]
Why there’s nothing anti green about airport expansion September 10, 2014 IN RECENT years, a misplaced and damaging idea – that expanding the UK’s airport capacity is environmentally unsustainable – has permeated the public consciousness. Exacerbated by political gridlock on the question of new runways, it’s a myth that needs to be urgently corrected. As anyone in the UK’s business community will know, export-led growth can [...]
As Manchester United projects falling profits, will its big spending on players restore its fortunes? September 10, 2014 Trevor Birch, a partner at BDO and former chief executive of Chelsea Football Club, says Yes. The club is a commercial phenomenon in footballing terms. It’s just reported annual revenues of £430m, increasing commercial revenues by £135m since 2007. It generates astonishing positive cashflow and, as a self-financing business model, continues to be almost untouchable [...]
Manchester United is a commercial phenomenon – and will remain so September 10, 2014 Manchester United FC is a commercial phenomenon in footballing terms. It has just reported annual revenues of £430m and increased commercial revenues by £135m since 2007 – a staggering achievement. It generates astonishing positive cashflow and, as a self-financing business model, remains almost untouchable in the football industry, certainly in the UK. Where the club has [...]
Life after redundancy: How to pick yourself up after losing your job September 10, 2014 Losing your job is hard. Picking yourself up is tougher. You may have been fired or been made redundant, but getting back into the job market with the right mind frame is essential. Too often people fall into a rut after they lose their job – it is essential to keep healthy, both mentally and [...]
Why Labour’s landlord plans will mean a better private rented sector September 10, 2014 Contrary to the views expressed by Ryan Bourne of the IEA, Labour’s reforms to the private rented sector are designed to address the chronic instability faced by families up and down the country. However, I agree wholeheartedly with his analysis that addressing the shortage of homes is paramount, and that’s why Labour has committed [...]