A tale of two cities: I love London but I need it to embrace diversity and love me back September 23, 2021 I love London unconditionally. It is my home and it fills me with pride when I say I’m a Londoner. But I’d like this thriving democracy to look into its black and ethnic communities and find the diversity of its history. I grew up in Hackney and Dagenham. Leaving aside the “Dagenham is Essex” debate, [...]
Bank of England’s reputation is at stake in the interest rate tragicomedy September 22, 2021 Misplaced expectations often lead to wasted time. Pip, Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot, and even England fans crying out for the arrival of Jack Grealish during Euro 2020. These stories teach us that banking on something to happen can lead to opportunities going amiss. The Bank of England could be lumped into that group [...]
West Midlands’ transport system will follow London’s lead September 22, 2021 While Westminster was abuzz with all the reshuffle gossip last week, my eyes were immediately drawn to the renewed focus on the levelling up agenda. With a new high-profile cabinet minister in place and a re-named department, it is clear the Prime Minister is intent on delivering the vision he laid out in his speech [...]
Boris Johnson’s endurance on immigration will be put to the test by labour shortages September 22, 2021 I always loved interviewing Stuart Rose. He was great company and if you stayed quiet long enough after asking a question, he’d give you a quote that made his press officers wince. Unfortunately for the former M&S chief, his honesty caused his downfall in Westminster when – as a Remain supporter during the Referendum campaign [...]
Whitehall needs to butt out of businesses’ rules on home working September 22, 2021 Good news, British workers! If you want to work flexibly, by adjusting your hours or working from home, then a consultation document due to be published on Thursday may give you the right to request it from day one. If an employer dares deny it, they’ll need to explain why and suggest an alternative working [...]
Editorial: Transport for London needs a funding model fit for a modern capital September 22, 2021 On the tube, mind the gap is supposed to be a cautionary warning for absent-minded tourists. Alas over the course of the pandemic it’s become something rather more serious – a constant, if pithy, reminder of the black hole at the heart of Transport for London’s finances. London is a great global city, but the [...]
Opinion-in-brief: Cyber crime is here to stay, we need to fight back September 22, 2021 There is a rising tide of cybercrime in the Big Data world. This year’s London Tech Week should be an opportunity to bolster our digital technologies, making them more secure for the future. Cyber crime is becoming the biggest cyber threat facing the UK. Also known as ransomware, it is malicious software that uses encryption [...]
A letter from Google to Big Tech September 21, 2021 Tomorrow the Treasury Select Committee will call representatives from across tech companies to explain the role we each play in helping prevent financial scammers exploiting online platforms. In the UK, people are targeted by increasingly sophisticated scammers on and offline, causing financial and emotional difficulty for many people. According to UK Finance, in 2020, total [...]
Financial services were forgotten by Brexit and London deserves better September 21, 2021 I have always been optimistic about London’s ability to bounce back from the terrible economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The good news is my optimism was well founded – as we’re already seeing many positive signs. Our “Let’s Do London” campaign is working, enticing Londoners and visitors back to experience all that central London [...]
DEBATE: Could nuclear prevent another energy crisis? September 21, 2021 Britain is in the throes of an energy crisis. There are myriad reasons from unusually low amounts of wind to sky-high gas prices. As we turn to net zero a familiar debate over the place for nuclear energy in our carbon-neutral arsenal. Eammon Ives of the Centre for Policy Studies says YES to nuclear The [...]