Uber vs London Taxi Drivers’ Association: Sajid Javid knows the benefits of enterprise November 24, 2015 One should never assume that a Secretary of State for Business will be, by nature, pro-business. Fortunately, the current occupier of the role, Sajid Javid, most definitely is. He possesses an instinctive understanding of the benefits of enterprise, competition and innovation. This perspective is doubtless the product of having witnessed his immigrant father save enough money [...]
Why good governance is now a key investment differentiator November 23, 2015 In a recent Aberdeen Asset Management study conducted among 300 global financial decision-makers, governance was found to be an integral factor when selecting and analysing investments. Almost 90 per cent of respondents considered effective governance to be a critical driver of investment performance. That governance should lie at the heart of investment decision-making is [...]
Argentina can finally realise its potential following the election of its new “BoreCon” President Mauricio Macri November 23, 2015 Buenos Aires was stopped in its tracks at 11.59pm on Saturday night. Restaurants, bars and clubs emptied abruptly and would-be revellers poured onto the streets and made their way home. In a city which can lay claim to being a true 24-hour hub along with New York, Tokyo and, maybe someday, London, this is quite [...]
Spending Review 2015: With chancellor George Osborne likely to make sharp cuts to the police budget, does this risk damaging public safety? November 23, 2015 Peter Neyroud, affiliated lecturer and resident scholar at the Jerry Lee Centre for Experimental Criminology at Cambridge University’s Institute of Criminology, says Yes Increasing the counter-terrorism resources within the defence budget is clearly necessary. Anyone who has watched events in Paris, Brussels and Mali would see the sense in a strong capability to respond to [...]
Open letter to the chancellor: Don’t cut London transport November 23, 2015 This week’s Spending Review will require the chancellor to make difficult decisions. Cutting investment in transport in London would be a very false economy. With a population growing by 100,000 a year, continued investment is needed to keep not just Londoners but the Treasury’s tax take from the capital moving. Parts of the Underground need [...]
City A.M. Awards 2015: Why this week’s event will get the City talking November 23, 2015 The wait is almost over. After all the build up, meetings, solicited and unsolicited input, the calculations, debate and analysis, one of the most important events of the political, financial and business calendar will be upon us. The City will be watching this traditional event on Wednesday, poring over the details in an effort to [...]
Angela Merkel is a symbol of everything wrong with a declining Europe November 22, 2015 I have never understood the very odd personality cult that has come to surround Angela Merkel. Uniquely among modern German Chancellors, I cannot think of a single major policy success to associate with her name. Konrad Adenauer decisively set Germany on a pro-Western path, reconciling with the French. Willy Brandt developed Ostpolitik, seeking to revive [...]
It’s time business started to play its vital role in Britain’s EU membership debate November 22, 2015 Britain’s EU membership referendum is a once in a generation choice for the UK. The result is going to define our relationship with our closest geographical neighbours for decades to come. It is a key issue for businesses, but they are avoiding the debate. This is dangerous. When the people of Britain make their choice [...]
Autumn Statement 2015: George Osborne must end the distortion caused by stamp duty hikes for high value residential property November 22, 2015 In recent years, there has been a perfect storm of changes to residential property taxation: from the introduction of the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings to offshore Capital Gains Tax, from clampdowns on corporate vehicles buying property to the removal of buy-to-let relief. But one change in particular threatens to tip the market over [...]
With public borrowing in October at a six-year high, will deficit reduction be a three-parliament issue? November 22, 2015 Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, says Yes. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will revise up its borrowing forecasts in this week’s Autumn Statement, and the surplus predicted for 2019-20 probably will be reduced to just £5bn from £10bn. But even after these revisions, it is doubtful that borrowing will fall as [...]