It’s time: diversity must drive innovation within our regions and our organisations January 17, 2022 With the Government’s eagerly awaited levelling up strategy due to be published later this month, the term itself has become a buzzword. A recent YouGov poll found more than half of people did not understand what levelling up means in practice. If the UK is to retain its position as an economic powerhouse, it is [...]
A timely payday is the only way to protect our small businesses and freelancers January 17, 2022 In 2022, we’re facing the loss of 440,000 small firms and of the talent that could drive future prosperity because of poor payment practices. Paying quickly pays everyone. It’s folly to pay late or to inflict extended payment terms on suppliers. It’s theft not to pay at all. We need to revolutionise business-to-business payments. The [...]
Explainer-in-brief: A Boris Johnson leadership challenge January 14, 2022 After Boris Johson’s shambolic performance this week, many are asking whether his future in office is doomed. Johnson’s defence line has been “wait for Sue Gray’s investigation”. But the investigation by the senior civil servant is unlikely to be a smoking gun. Instead it will likely be a Whitehall work of perfection, cold and detached. [...]
Michael Gove has finally entered the cladding fray, but the fight isn’t over January 14, 2022 Among the political shambles of this week, something remarkable happened: someone stepped in to say a word or two about how to fix the cladding crisis. This someone was the Secretary of State for Levelling up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove. His intervention was met with relief that an issue which has languished on the [...]
Does mayo need a purpose? It’s time for a corporate governance reset at Unilever January 14, 2022 The City should take heed of Terry Smith’s recent comments on Unilever’s obsession with publicly displaying its sustainability credentials at the expense of focusing on the fundamentals of the business. Last year, chief executive Alan Jope claimed the purpose of Hellmann’s mayonnaise was “fighting against food waste.” It was a symptom of a wider malaise [...]
Shots for Covid-19 shots? It’s time to dangle carrots to tempt the unvaccinated January 14, 2022 Yesterday, self-isolation rules for those with Covid-19 were cut to five days. This marks a milestone as the UK plots its way out of a gamble of a winter strategy to keep the virus at bay. The enduring problem, however, is the number of unvaccinated people in the UK filling up hospital beds. The risk [...]
The art of the Boris apology: I’m sorry for everything but also for nothing January 13, 2022 If you have ever played monopoly, you’ll know there is a certain flex in the rules – unless they’re being used against you. Sure, it’s fine if your incarcerated opponent doesn’t collect rent when you land on their property because they’re under the mistaken belief you can’t earn money in jail. But when the tables [...]
Chief executives are distracted by the shiny lights of ESG and social media January 13, 2022 During the EU referendum campaign I encouraged my team to turn off all social media. As the Director of Communications for Vote Leave, this might seem like an odd instruction, given we were charged with understanding the mood of the British public. But the truth is it’s all too easy to get distracted by the [...]
In an age of Netflix, Britain’s public broadcasters must step up to the challenge January 13, 2022 The BBC has become a lightning rod for debate over the role of public service broadcasting and its role in our society. As the broadcaster prepares for its mid-term charter review and Channel 4 faces down the challenge of privatisation, we must re-evaluate how we look at the notion of maximum possible benefit to the [...]
The UK can reap the rewards of Brexit if digital trade is at the heart of our strategy January 13, 2022 Digital trade has soared to prominence and with it comes the need to negotiate new rules for this wildly different market. It’s estimated the digital economy accounted for 22.5 percent of worldwide GDP last year, and with significant challenges facing international travel for both people and goods, this is set only to grow. Fortunately, it [...]