From Bristol to Blackpool, it’s time to create fertile ground for growth for our start-ups all over the country January 6, 2023 In the UK there has been a lot of talk about “levelling up” investment outside of London. For some time during the Johnson administration, it felt like no two days could go by without the words “levelling up” being foghorned from the spokespeople of various government ministries. Yet going into 2023, it’s still unclear exactly [...]
Brexit: The govt must please both the Europeans and the DUP to solve the stalemate in Northern Ireland January 6, 2023 There aren’t many causes for optimism in British politics right now. Yet one that seems to be getting people increasingly excited is the possibility that Britain and the EU are close to agreeing a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol. British ministerial sources are reporting good progress is being made in the talks, and even [...]
Safe as houses: as years pass by, residential property remains the most resilient investment January 6, 2023 When Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away last year, it brought the nation – and much of the world – together in mourning. With 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II replaced Queen Victoria as the United Kingdom’s longest reigning monarch. There was much that united the two, from overseeing periods of dramatic [...]
The recession could become an opportunity to reskill our workforce January 5, 2023 The job market has undoubtedly taken a hit over the past months. A rapidly rising cost of living has been followed by a wave of layoffs from global companies at the end of last year, including Google, Meta and Amazon. There could be more to come. Although unemployment is not at worrying levels right now, [...]
Without proper financial education, this year will be a baptism of fire for Gen Z January 5, 2023 Whilst a recession has an impact on every generation, in 2023 it’s Gen Z who are going to find the transition into a sharp economic downturn the hardest. With no savings, and finding themselves just entering the world of work, this prolonged period of economic uncertainty coincides with the first time many of them will [...]
This year, there’s potential for businesses to find value in times of economic uncertainty January 5, 2023 “Uncertainty is bad for business” is a truism accepted by all economists. But whilst it applies across an entire economic system, it doesn’t need to apply to you in 2023. You can simultaneously agree that the year ahead feels horribly uncertain while also thriving. The Collins English Dictionary recently named “permacrisis” as the “word of [...]
From strikes to the NHS there is plenty going on – but Rishi Sunak is right to put “maths ’til 18” at the top of the agenda January 4, 2023 From the NHS’ well documented woes to rail strikes and Brexit, there is much on the government’s plate – but Rishi Sunak is right to put a light on Britain’s poor levels of numeracy, argues Sam Sims, the CEO of charity National Numeracy When there is so much else on the government’s domestic agenda – [...]
As the nature of work evolves, we need fresh solutions to employment regulation that go beyond union membership January 4, 2023 For better or worse, unions currently feel omnipresent. But within this political quagmire of public sector pay demands and strikes, the oft-quoted defence of unions is not merely their position as an immense vehicle of wage bargaining, but their historic role in the development of basic employment rights. So it seems unusual that there still [...]
China’s zero-Covid policy must be a cautionary tale for the UK January 4, 2023 The rise in Covid-19 cases in China has seen the return of travel restrictions – but Paul Ormerod argues the scientific evidence suggests lockdowns aren’t worth the cost – only shifting cases, rather than eliminating them As we greet the new year with the hope of more serene times ahead, some might do it with [...]
As the Internet turns forty, we must invest in digital skills to make London the epicentre of a new wave of innovation January 4, 2023 The modern Internet as we know it officially turned middle-aged on the first day of January 2023. It’s no exaggeration to say it has transformed our human existence. From online learning and dating, to managing our finances and making each other laugh, the degree to which the Internet has shaped our lives in a relatively [...]