As Donald Trump wins comfortably in Arizona, does he have a clear path to the Republican nomination? March 24, 2016 Tim Worstall, senior fellow of the Adam Smith Institute, says Yes. To say that Trump is entirely unstoppable is perhaps a little too strong. As we used to say, who knows when Concorde might fall on your head – until it actually happened to one poor lady. But barring the absurd, Trump needs some 70 per [...]
How digital innovation is bringing prosperity to the world’s poorest March 24, 2016 There are approximately 2m adults in the UK who don’t have bank accounts. This statistic is shocking for a global finance hub, but it is dwarfed by the 2bn people worldwide who lack access to financial services. For the unbanked, having no means of saving or managing their finances can mean being locked in a [...]
Terrorism is now a key business risk – and too many companies are insufficiently prepared March 24, 2016 Terrorism is a threat that has clearly registered with London’s top executives. Along with fraud, regulation and reputation, it’s up there as a major risk that could damage their business and, worse, harm the public and their employees. With the threat level currently at “severe”, we should be under no illusions: terrorists would dearly love to [...]
Mondo and Pact: A tale of two crowdfunds and why they both matter to the market March 23, 2016 Just weeks ago a startup named ‘Mondo’ became the latest company to smash a new crowdfunding record. Demand to pump cash into the mobile-first challenger bank was so high it crashed Crowdcube’s servers when its campaign to raise £1m was first launched. A few days later, with some extra computing power in place, it tried [...]
It’s nearly the end of the tax year – but before getting stuck into next year’s investments, do consumers really understand how your Isa works? March 23, 2016 Since its introduction, the Isa has proved to be one of the most popular savings vehicles of choice. Every year, in the run up to the end of the tax year, savers continue to put billions of pounds away. Figures from HMRC show that in 2014/15, around 13 million adults subscribed to an Isa and since they first became [...]
Brussels attacks: Europe must show iron-strong resolve in the face of terrorism March 23, 2016 Crowds run for safety, though they can’t be sure where to find it. Survivors emerge, shocked and injured. An aftermath unfolds: emergency vehicles, the wounded treated on the streets, a confused public marshalled by frantic officials. It seems we witness these scenes – these hallmarks of horror – with increasing regularity. Yesterday morning, Brussels became [...]
Cadbury has Creme Egg over its face after recipe change March 23, 2016 When a favourite treat has a “new, improved recipe” there is always a tendency to believe that the manufacturer has simply found a way of making it more cheaply. As a result, consumers often get turned off. With Easter approaching, it’s time to see how this syndrome has affected one of the nation’s most-loved treats [...]
George Osborne delivered a Budget that backs Britain’s Millennials March 23, 2016 They're nearly 14m strong and the largest cohort in our workforce. From the factory floor to the trading floor, the Millennial generation or “Generation Y” – those born between 1980 and 2000 – are at the heart of Britain’s economic success story. Among their ranks are Britain’s growing number of apprentices, young professionals, first-time buyers, [...]
Brussels attacks: This pathetic death cult will only win if we lose our nerve in the face of terror March 23, 2016 “Death, be not proud, though some have called thee/ Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so; For those that thou thinks’t thou dost overthrow/ Die not, poor Death, nor yet cans't thou kill me” – John Donne, Holy Sonnets The sickening regularity of radical Islam’s attack on Western culture struck with its almost metronomic rhythm [...]
The economic case against Brexit is stacking up fast: A vote to leave is a vote for a less prosperous Britain March 23, 2016 This week, the CBI warned that leaving the EU would cause a serious shock to the UK economy. That’s after an independent PwC study found that, by 2020, the cost of Brexit to UK GDP could be as much as £100bn with nearly 1m jobs lost. That would prove a real blow to living standards – [...]