Net zero must be at the heart of Britain’s taxation system if we want to meet our carbon commitments August 17, 2021 If there was any doubt about the urgency of the climate crisis, this summer of extreme weather events – from “heat domes” in the US, to devastating forest fires across Europe and flash flooding closer to home – has surely put paid to it. The latest stark assessment from the IPCC leaves no room for [...]
Abortion numbers are at an all-time high – it means reforms are working August 17, 2021 In 2020, the total number of abortions performed in the UK reached a record high of 210,860. Most of these – 47 per cent– were early abortions, carried out during the pandemic by women in their own homes, using pills posted to them after a teleconsultation with a doctor. Prior to the pandemic, those seeking [...]
The spy case in Berlin is a reminder that money will always be the greatest temptation and weapon August 16, 2021 Spying almost always makes headlines whenever it hoves into public view. There is something inherently fascinating about the idea of nations engaged in cloak and dagger operations against one another, trying to find a weak point they can exploit for their own advantage. All the more so when an intelligence service employs dramatic tactics like [...]
Businesses without diversity are plagued by groupthink August 16, 2021 Cast your minds back to your school days and in particular, the days when you received your final exam results. As you opened your results envelope, did you do that excitedly, with a flourish, or did you shield it from your friends, worried that you might not get what you expected? Last week, students across [...]
The fall of Afghanistan: Western governments got bored and Taliban rule has been resurrected August 16, 2021 We are watching a strategic and humanitarian calamity unfold. We are watching it live on TV and social media and yet, despite its immediacy, despite information from the scene of unparalleled detail and accuracy, we are doing nothing. Nothing except, perhaps, trying to evacuate the last few thousand of our troops who are still in [...]
Long read: the office, pay cuts, promotions and cities. Transcending the gender gap post-pandemic August 14, 2021 Cabinet ministers and CEOs are falling over themselves trying to bark us back into the office. Some are even threatening to cut our pay if we move too far away, but their sledgehammer approach is not winning converts, especially amongst women. Over the course of sixteen months of remote work, many of us have felt [...]
The influencer economy: online ranking systems are a purveyor of inequality August 13, 2021 To the victor the spoils. This well-known phrase might be thought to relate to the recent Olympics. Except that it is not a really accurate description of the Games themselves. True, the gold medallist gains more kudos than the silver or bronze. But at future athletics meets, for example, all three can expect an increase [...]
From grocery delivery to supply chains, the future of food tech is in flexibility August 13, 2021 Grocery delivery apps, promising to deliver food and drink in just 10 minutes, have become almost ubiquitous on London’s streets after more than a dozen launched in the last year. Venture-backed grocery companies have raised over $10bn so far in 2021, according to figures from Pitchbook. Less visible, but no less disruptive, we have also [...]
Screenshot: Can the City harness the power of the Netflix model? August 13, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Victoria Derbyshire’s heels hiccup **Can the City harness the power of the Netflix model? **The CMA goes for GIFs Media Moment of the Week: Victoria Derbyshire’s heels hiccup Late on Wednesday evening prolific BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire tweeted to say she’d be on air three times in a [...]
Blackstone: As streaming services climb and climb, there is a race for space for film production August 12, 2021 Britain is known across the globe as a hub for the creative industries – and one of the best places to make film and television. It has a rich history, with productions from Harry Potter and James Bond, to Indiana Jones and Star Wars dazzling audiences across the world. It’s also an industry undergoing extraordinary [...]