One way ticket to bankrupt November 10, 2021 [Re: World set to warm by 2.4 degrees, yesterday] Cop26 has accelerated our desire to decarbonise but how much will it cost? I simply do not subscribe to the idea that the UK has an endless pot of money funded with Modern Monetary Theory. Yes, a dead planet is worse but there needs to be [...]
Letters: SMEs need cash for climate November 5, 2021 [Re: Small businesses look to Cop26 for fiscal support, 2nd November] The Federation of Small Business (FSB) report stated SMEs want more financial support and policy to help them become more sustainable. We agree, but financial products that marry both commercial competitiveness and ESG-related benefits have not been forthcoming. Not addressing this could derail the [...]
Capitalism is doing the heavy-lifting on greening our climate October 31, 2021 As on-the-nose metaphors go, the entirety of Britain’s climate class being unable to get to Glasgow on time because of a tree falling onto the train tracks is right up there. Let us hope it is not an omen for the rest of the Cop-26 conference. Our expectations are, to be frank, low. It is [...]
Capitalism is doing the heavy-lifting on greening our climate October 1, 2021 As on-the-nose metaphors go, the entirety of Britain’s climate class being unable to get to Glasgow on time because of a tree falling onto the train tracks is right up there. Let us hope it is not an omen for the rest of the Cop-26 conference. Our expectations are, to be frank, low. It is [...]
Barclays forgot about the humans in HR February 21, 2020 Barely a day goes by without a think tank, employers’ group or minister talking about the need to improve the productivity or British business, and while this generally conjures up images of factory floors it’s reassuring to know that investment banks are also searching for elusive gains. How else to explain the decision by Barclays [...]
Labour looks destined to sit out the next 10 years in political wilderness February 14, 2020 On Monday Lord Michael Ashcroft published a detailed and searingly honest critique of the Labour party’s failed 2019 election. Based on polling and focus groups of former Labour voters, he painted a picture of a party that had drifted so far away from the values and aspirations of ordinary people that its drubbing was inevitable. [...]
I’m finally convinced – a Grexit really could happen June 11, 2015 The prospect of Greece leaving the Eurozone never really seemed to be on the cards, even during the darkest days of 2011 and 2012. There were two reasons for this: firstly, the ease with which the country and its creditors could kick the can down the road. This was helped by the relatively small size [...]
Judge in haste and repent at leisure – Editor’s Letter May 21, 2015 News lives in the now. Sprinting from drama to drama, we rarely have the leisure to turn and look back. But sometimes a clear picture only comes into focus with the help of hindsight. This week provided two instructive examples. First, a report marking the 10-year anniversary of the liberalisation of Britain’s antiquated drinking [...]
Burberry’s Christopher Bailey proves elusive again – Editor’s Letter May 19, 2015 When the fashion retailer Burberry unveils its full-year results today, it will be unsurprising if its chief executive and chief creative officer Chris Bailey keeps a low media profile, leaving the task of answering reporters’ questions to his finance director, Carol Fairweather. Bailey himself rarely makes an appearance in front of the media to [...]
It’s time for David Cameron to make unpopular decisions – Editor’s Letter May 14, 2015 Today the hard work begins. After a few days where the Conservatives still seemed to be in full campaign mode, setting out their blue collar pitch for 2020, David Cameron’s speech in Scotland brings the hard decisions he faces in this Parliament back to the forefront. Rightly so. This government has a once-in-a-generation chance to [...]