Deliveroo riders defeated in High Court battle over collective bargaining rights December 5, 2018 A union acting for a group of Deliveroo riders was defeated today in a High Court fight over whether the delivery firm’s drivers were entitled to collective bargaining rights. In a key decision on the future of the gig economy the court ruled that Deliveroo riders are self-employed and therefore would not be allowed to collectively [...]
Three simple answers to the UK’s productivity puzzle December 5, 2018 With political and policy attention focused almost entirely on one complex puzzle, it is easy to forget that there are others requiring urgent attention. Today's Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis) select committee report is a timely reminder that government action on the productivity puzzle is long overdue. Britain’s growth in productivity lags behind our [...]
Let’s give knife crime a knockout punch December 5, 2018 Last year was the worst year of my life. Seven people I knew were murdered. There have been an estimated 127 murders in London this year, and police statistics show that knife crime is up 12 per cent. Clearly, we have a knife crime epidemic in London. Everyone is responsible and has a part to [...]
Takeda wins shareholder approval for £46bn Shire takeover December 5, 2018 Takeda’s investors have approved the company’s $59bn (£46bn) takeover of Irish drugmaker Shire following months of wrangling with unhappy stakeholders. Despite a chorus of unhappy investors who have gone public with their anger about the deal, 88 per cent of shareholders’ votes came down in favour of the proposal, Takeda said this morning. The deal [...]
UK economy ‘flatlining’ as services sector records weakest growth since the aftermath of the EU referendum December 5, 2018 Business activity fell to its lowest rate of growth since the aftermath of the Brexit vote, according to a closely followed measure of services sector activity. The slowdown in both ongoing business and new work saw the UK services purchasing managers’ index (PMI) hit 50.4 last month, down from 52.2 in October to count as [...]
Big Four firm KPMG comes through bruising year with strong set of results December 5, 2018 Big Four audit firm KPMG has pushed past the fallout from the collapse of outsourcer Carillion to deliver strong revenue and profit growth. The UK arm of the firm boosted revenue eight per cent to £2.338bn and underlying profit 18 per cent to £356m in the year to 30 September. The strong growth comes despite [...]
No-deal Brexit is ‘default option’ if May’s withdrawal agreement voted down, says Leadsom December 5, 2018 A no-deal Brexit would be the “default” outcome if parliament votes against the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal next week, according to the leader of the House of Commons. “Unless government were to do something completely different to change tack, or indeed to pass this deal, then we will be leaving the EU on 29 March [...]
Turkish prosecutors seek arrest of Saudi officials for Khashoggi killing December 5, 2018 Turkish authorities have called for the arrest of the Saudi head of foreign intelligence and a top aide to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The chief prosecutor in Istanbul has filed arrest warrants after concluding there was “strong suspicion” that Saud al-Qahtani and General Ahmed al-Asiri were involved [...]
UAE asked Matthew Hedges to spy on the UK, freed academic says December 5, 2018 British student Matthew Hedges, who was sentenced to life in prison in the United Arab Emirates, was asked to turn double agent and spy for the gulf state, he revealed in his first interview since being pardoned. The 31-year-old was interrogated for up to 15 hours a day, sometimes stood up in ankle cuffs, and [...]
Podcast platform Acast secures $33m funding amid rise in on-demand listening December 5, 2018 Podcast startup Acast has secured $33m (£25.9m) in Series C funding as it cashes in on the surging popularity of on-demand listening. Acast, which helps podcast makers distribute and monetise their content, said the funding will be put towards growth as the platform looks to expand internationally. “This has been the biggest year in our [...]