Philip Hammond’s ‘Brexit deal dividend’ claim under attack from MPs February 12, 2019 Philip Hammond’s promise of a Brexit dividend has been called into question amid signs of sluggish economic growth and warnings of a knock-on effect for the public finances. Figures released on Monday showed the UK economy grew by just 1.4 per cent in 2018 – its slowest rate for six years – while growth in the [...]
Robots, surgery, and the NHS – what will the future medical bot look like and when will the machines take over the operating theatre? February 11, 2019 In the 2012 film Prometheus, there’s a memorable scene where the protagonist uses an automated medical table to remove an alien creature growing in her stomach. At the press of a few buttons, robotic arms quickly perform a complex procedure – the operation looks more like a car assembly line than surgery. The scene is [...]
DEBATE: Could the internet of things be the answer to the social care crisis? February 6, 2019 Could the internet of things be the answer to the social care crisis? Emanuele Angelidis, chief executive of IoT investor Breed Reply, says YES. With more and more people forced to look after loved ones, the internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) can help alleviate the social care issues raised by an ageing population. For a [...]
Become more zen in the City to boost your mental health and wellbeing January 25, 2019 Modern work demands have never been greater. A combination of increased targets, shorter deadlines, and an overflowing email inbox has left many of us feeling overwhelmed by work. Mix in the Brexit-induced market uncertainty, a dash of office politics, and the normal stresses and strains of life outside of work – no wonder stress and [...]
Real estate merger to form biggest ever UK healthcare property investor January 24, 2019 Real estate group Primary Health Properties (PHP) has agreed a £1bn merger deal with MedicX in a move that is set to create the UK’s largest ever UK healthcare property investor. In an effort to scale up its role within the healthcare asset market, FTSE 250 primary care specialist PHP has signed an all-share merger with [...]
Davos: Philip Hammond declares Britain ‘great place to do business’ after Brexit January 24, 2019 Chancellor Philip Hammond is to make a pitch for the UK’s post-Brexit business credentials in Davos today, as he announces £100m investment for British innovation. Hammond will tell business leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum: “Britain is a great place to do business. And we are determined, as we leave the EU, to make [...]
Employers to boost graduate jobs by record nine per cent in 2019 despite Brexit concerns January 21, 2019 The UK’s top employers are set to boost graduate jobs by a record nine per cent this year despite growing uncertainty over Brexit. The country’s leading 100 graduate employers have indicated a surge in recruitment could be on the horizon in 2019, according to a report conducted by research firm High Fliers. It comes after [...]
Flood, fire, even an earthquake: businesses must protect themselves against the event of a natural disaster January 16, 2019 Technical issues were enough to hit TSB with a brutal three-week outage in April last year. The damage from that event is well documented – an eightfold increase in customers choosing to bank elsewhere, a bill for compensation and repairs costing roughly £176m, and a chief executive who decided to walk. The events suffered by [...]
DEBATE: If Theresa May’s deal fails to pass, is another referendum the best way to break the stalemate? January 15, 2019 If Theresa May’s deal fails to pass, is another referendum the best way to break the stalemate? Jo Swinson MP, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, says YES. Brexit has become a national embarrassment. In the last few weeks, the Conservative government has lost control in parliament, and the Labour frontbench – supposedly the official [...]
A year on from Carillion: 12 months that brought outsourcing to its knees January 15, 2019 On the anniversary of Carillion’s dramatic collapse, two more public sector outsourcing giants, Interserve and Kier Group, are up against the ropes. In the intervening 12 months, outsourcers have lurched from one crisis to another, with profit warnings, massive project failures and revelations of systemic late payment of suppliers. Morning Wire charts a year which [...]