London will remain a world-leading city because of its world-beating talent September 12, 2016 When people think of London, our city’s iconic buildings, red buses, black taxis, and vibrant cultural scene often come to mind. But the capital offers so much more than that, with PwC finding in a recent report that London, for the second year in a row, is the world’s number one place for companies to do [...]
Why we’re embracing radical transparency to tackle social, gender and ethnic inequalities at PwC September 12, 2016 There is little doubt that trust in business isn’t riding high. The feelings of distrust towards big business sparked by the 2008 financial crisis remain and, to some degree, have been reignited by the EU referendum vote. Recognising this, Theresa May pledged in her first speech as Prime Minister to make Britain a country that “works [...]
Is a hard Brexit looking increasingly likely? September 12, 2016 Alex Deane, common councilman in the City of London Corporation and managing director at FTI Consulting, says Yes. Those obsessing about “the deal” we get with the European Union miss some basic truths. People and companies trade with one another, not nations. We are highly successful in economic relationships entirely without a trade deal: we have no [...]
Pressure for pay reform may now be irresistible September 9, 2016 Chris Philp’s timing is impeccable. Theresa May’s fresh vow to reform executive pay had no sooner been uttered this week than her fellow Conservative MP was spraying bullets at company directors, institutional investors and remuneration consultants. A looming autumn crackdown by the government explains why committee room 15 in the House of Commons was packed on [...]
Theresa May is right to back academic selection in schools – as long as we don’t return to the rigid grammar system of the 1950s September 9, 2016 The chattering classes often complain that debates about schools are dominated by anecdote, as if ordinary people’s experience of education is totally irrelevant. So what if parents feel their local school is sub-standard? Who cares if most unskilled workers believe permitting more academic selection would give their children a better chance in life? Grammar schools are [...]
“What is Aleppo?” Gary Johnson’s Syria gaffe was bad but also emphasised his integrity September 8, 2016 The presidential campaign of Gary Johnson, candidate for the US Libertarian party, received one of its biggest boosts in this election cycle on Wednesday evening – a tweet from the 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney, expressing hope that the Johnson ticket would be allowed to take part in the upcoming presidential debates. The following morning, [...]
After suffering military defeats and the loss of several leaders, is this the beginning of the end for Islamic State? September 8, 2016 Fawaz A Gerges, author of Isis: A History and professor at the LSE, says Yes. There is increasing evidence that Isis is on the defensive – bleeding, losing territories in Iraq and Syria, leaders, field commanders and thousands of combatants. Its mini-financial empire is also being systemically dismantled by the US-led coalition, exacting a heavy toll [...]
It’s time Chicken Licken Remainers admitted the sky hasn’t fallen in post-Brexit September 8, 2016 Before the referendum, the Remain camp did not hold back from listing the catastrophic consequences of Brexit. The banks and financial services sector would abandon London overnight, they said. Vital funding would be lost for farming, science and regeneration schemes. The British economy would immediately stall, then spiral into a crash. Eleven weeks on from [...]
It’s pure hubris for politicians to think they can “rebalance” the economy September 8, 2016 Theresa May is reviving the idea of interventionist industrial strategy, and wants to “rebalance” the economy. Many people are jumping on the bandwagon. They should jump right off again. Even the more mature of today’s politicians were still in the school playground when these ideas last made waves. In the 1950s and 1960s, UK governments [...]
This is what Apple’s EU tax bill story can teach us about brand ethics September 8, 2016 Apple garnered the tech world's spotlight yesterday with the launch of its shiny new iPhone, overshadowing for many last week's decision by the European Commission to issue the company with a €13bn (£11.1bn) tax bill. The EC's decision was unprecedented, and its severity has been met with surprise by many. However, the fact that a big corporate [...]