Theresa May: The first 100 days October 21, 2016 This week Theresa May marked her 100th day in power. We’ve seen already a very clear departure from the Cameron/Osborne way of government, including on policy and approach. Read more: Theresa May has been confirmed as the UK's Prime Minister May has confidently positioned herself as a Prime Minister that advocates ‘substance over style’. She [...]
We need to talk about free trade October 21, 2016 It is not enough to be outraged by Donald Trump. On 8 November, millions of Americans will overlook his sexism, racism and questionable commitment to democracy to endorse his protectionist agenda. Across the world's developed economies, free trade has become a whipping boy – a convenient explanation for why wages have stagnated and why low-skilled jobs have [...]
Editor’s diary: Threats to the City’s dominance come from home and abroad October 21, 2016 This week one of our front page stories caused quite a stir in parliament. Wednesday's paper reported on the growing levels of unease in the City regarding the way in which some people in government view financial services and its place in upcoming Brexit negotiations. We quoted a number of senior sources, all of whom [...]
Executive pay regulation will backfire if it’s not based on evidence October 20, 2016 Executive pay is the poster child for the disconnect between big business and the general public. It does need to be reformed. It needs to be fair given an executive’s performance – and performance as measured by long-run contribution to society, not short-run profit. However, 80 years of history shows that compensation reform has frequently [...]
The debates changed nothing: Trump’s attitude toward women is fuelling his polling decline October 20, 2016 The first two US presidential debates have been the talk of the town – and the world – since they aired. The third, and final, debate on Wednesday night has proven no different. But what’s new? Hillary Clinton won the third debate, just as she won the first. Clinton is ahead in the polls – [...]
As Stephen Hawking questions AI, will it be the best or worst thing to ever happen to humanity? October 20, 2016 Suranga Chandratillake, general partner at Balderton Capital, says the Best. Evolution is powerful but slow. As a result, we humans are stuck with the bodies and minds we have today – and we know that neither will change dramatically in our lifetimes, or in those of our children. It is technology that frees us from these [...]
London’s fanatical cyclists from hell are taking crazy risks with pedestrians’ lives October 20, 2016 Every morning on my walk into the City, I see the brand-new cycle path along the side of Blackfriars Road being put to good use. But every morning, I also see some of you cyclists riding on the pavement next to it, weaving among pedestrians. The special lane made for you, carved out (at significant [...]
Cutting the apron strings: How Brexit will force British banks to think on their feet October 20, 2016 I do not believe there is some fantasy world out there that if Britain leaves the EU we can somehow be economically better off.” The words of none other than former chancellor George Osborne, prior to Brexit. But despite the initial aftershock, the Bank of England’s latest GDP forecast clearly shows that Britain’s economy hasn’t [...]
Wanted: A market breakthrough to solve poverty in rich countries October 20, 2016 What is the point of a free market system? It’s to lift people out of poverty, giving them a better life, richer in every way. By this test, free markets have been fantastically successful historically. But rich countries, from the UK and America to those in Europe, have done nothing much for the poor in [...]
In defence of the global citizen: Bashing the cosmopolitan way of life is the stuff of the seventies October 20, 2016 If you believe you are a citizen of the world, you are a citizen of nowhere,” recently declared our Prime Minister. I believe that this statement is both parochial and narrow-minded, as if spoken by someone who has only ever lived in one country, spoken one language and does not know better. I grew up [...]