Private investors can plug London’s infrastructure gap – if we allow them to June 24, 2015 London's infrastructure is struggling to cope. Not only are our roads, rail and tube systems in need of a major upgrade (some of which is already underway), but we need new homes, better broadband provision and mobile reception, and more schools and colleges to train the businessmen and women of the future. According to [...]
As Cameron heads to Brussels, will he achieve sufficient reform to Britain’s EU relationship? June 24, 2015 Lucy Thomas is campaign director of Business for New Europe, says Yes The Prime Minister’s task is daunting, but achievable. He has secured a mandate for his approach and he now has the chance to secure real reform. His priorities should be delivering a cut to red tape, ensuring EU institutions are more streamlined, and [...]
How digital will help solve Britain’s productivity puzzle June 24, 2015 Technological change is fuelling improvements in workplace efficiency, and the power of digital technology to boost productivity should not be forgotten. The increase in productivity which businesses will inevitably see through adopting technology is essential in driving economic growth. Yet UK productivity levels are lower than the G7 average. The latest quarterly inflation report showed [...]
London’s cyclists will continue to die until decisive action is taken June 24, 2015 The latest cyclist casualty figures from TfL look like good news. Cyclist deaths and serious injuries appear to have gone down at the same time as the number of people in London cycling – especially commuting into the centre – is increasing. And yet the number of cyclists killed or suffering life-changing injuries in [...]
Twelve reasons why the campaign for Brexit is quickly gaining momentum June 23, 2015 It was not long after the Conservative general election victory that the campaign for the UK to stay in the European Union was launched – no matter how disappointing the results of David Cameron’s renegotiation might be. Even before the Referendum Bill was published and the wording of the question set, the creation of [...]
Against the Grain: What Yanis Varoufakis can learn from a real game theory master – Nicola Sturgeon June 23, 2015 The gracious Palladian architecture of Edinburgh has often led the city to be described as the Athens of the North. If the referendum result had gone the other way, much closer parallels would have rapidly emerged. A high spending left wing government, faced with a collapse in revenues due to the fall in the oil [...]
The future of giving: The rise of micro-donation is revolutionising charity June 23, 2015 Philanthropy is thriving, but it is growing at a grass roots level, as well as among the wealthy, as technology drives change. A record number of wealthy philanthropists gave more than 1 per cent of their wealth to charitable causes in the UK last year. According to The Sunday Times Giving List, £2.58bn was [...]
As June PMIs point to continuing recovery, has the Eurozone finally turned the corner? June 23, 2015 Anna Stupnytska is global economist at Fidelity Solutions. @AnnaStupnytska, says Yes The Eurozone recovery is becoming well-entrenched, with Flash Purchasing Managers’ Indices for June pointing to further acceleration in the second quarter. Labour market healing continues and inflation is out of deflationary territory. Crucially, this improvement has been broad-based across the Eurozone. Four main tailwinds [...]
I’m a male chief executive and I want pay transparency – so should you June 23, 2015 It’s time for business leaders to end the culture of secrecy over salaries and what men and women earn. Whether you’re the head of a FTSE 100 conglomerate or a small business entrepreneur, your people need to know that you support transparency and equality over pay. I’m fully prepared to put my own money where [...]
National Women in Engineering Day: Stereotypes are creating a huge skills gap in the UK’s engineering sector June 23, 2015 National Women in Engineering Day isn’t just a celebration. It’s a landmark opportunity to draw attention to a critical economic factor that can no longer be ignored: women need to fill an ever-growing engineering skills gap. Quite simply, the UK economy will not do well without engineers. Without skilled workers it is hard for [...]