Supermarkets made hay from restrictions, now they need to consolidate to keep going March 11, 2022 THE rapid grocery delivery sector has grown at a staggering pace across Europe and the US. Two years on from when we first saw Getir, Weezy, Zapp and Gorillas advertised on buses and hoardings across London, data from the ONS revealed the average weekly sales of online groceries in December 2021 were £372m – more [...]
Brexit has dented Britain’s exports when we should be relaunching our global brand March 11, 2022 It is fair to say that this government is facing a myriad of challenges. Having pushed Brexit through and just about overcome the pandemic, the government is now facing war in Ukraine and a cost-of-living crisis at home. On top of this, the structural challenges of “levelling up”, boosting growth, and making a success of [...]
Public willingness must match private money to break the housing deadlock March 10, 2022 ANY Londoner is painfully familiar with the number of rough sleepers. Some spots are focal points for make-shift “camps” of people; for example outside Warren Street station, there are often at least 25 homeless people. During the first year of the pandemic alone, 130,000 households were made homeless. With a cost of living crisis already [...]
Explainer-in-brief: Poland’s fighter jets pose problems for Nato March 10, 2022 Yesterday, the US made a decision which shocked many as President Biden refused to act as a go-between and send Polish fighter jets to Ukraine. For those clamouring for more support in Ukraine, it seemed nonsensical. But it is part of a broader line Western countries are trying to balance as they support Ukraine’s efforts [...]
Letters: Our law is not your law March 10, 2022 [Re: British human rights lawyer flees Hong Kong after meeting with national security police, March 3] The departure of veteran British human rights barrister and former chair of Hong Kong’s Bar Association, Paul Harris, following police questioning marks yet another dark day for human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong. It is [...]
As Britain vies to join the key Asia trade bloc, it must stand up for Taiwan against China March 10, 2022 Last year, Xi Jinping celebrated the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party with a stark warning: “We must take resolute action to utterly defeat any attempt toward Taiwan independence”. In other words, Beijing remains committed to transforming their “One China” stance from legal fiction into geopolitical fact by any means necessary. With Russia’s Vladimir Putin [...]
From Moscow to Kensington: transparency can end properties funded by corruption March 10, 2022 Look around the borough of Kensington and Chelsea and you’ll see why so many diplomats refer to our city as “Londongrad”. Over 6000 properties are registered to anonymous foreign shell companies in places like Jersey and the British Virgin Islands. While 3000 households are on the housing wait list many of these properties stand empty. [...]
Explainer-in-brief: Bringing eastern Europe into the EU fold March 9, 2022 The European Union has decided to formally assess Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova’s bid to join the bloc. The move is mainly symbolic, but it does signal a shift from the EU’s previous tough position on admission. France has suggested that Ukraine could receive a special type of membership. which could take less time to approve. [...]
We have weakened the very systems of international law we need to restore peace in Ukraine March 9, 2022 In the global and regional corridors of power, Russia’s place – as the successor to the Soviet Union – has made international diplomacy appear impotent. There has been continued human rights abuses abroad and on its own soil, and under Vladimir Putin’s leadership, there has been an almost total disregard for national sovereignty over the [...]
As government debt jumps to fund defence spending, our economy will pay the price March 9, 2022 Sanctions will clearly hit the Russian economy very hard. But economic prospects for the West are not exactly rosy. Twice in the 1970s and again in the early 90s, there were rapid spikes in oil prices; each instance was followed by economic recessions. The deep recession following 2008 was, of course, due to financial causes [...]