How economic prosperity led Ireland to overturn centuries of conservatism with same-sex marriage vote May 31, 2015 Before the tide of euphoria passes, it is worth thinking back a moment on what the overwhelming vote in Ireland in favour of same-sex marriage actually means. This traditional, close-knit country, dominated for centuries by the socially conservative Catholic Church, seems at first glance an unlikely location for global social advances. Yet by approving a [...]
Why companies have a public duty to publish their Brexit risk assessments May 31, 2015 A “Top-secret taskforce” always makes for a good headline, and “news” that the Bank of England has just such a unit to look at Brexit was discussed with glee. Headline-grabbing as it may be, it would truly be far more extraordinary if the Bank (or Deutsche Bank, which made similar waves by announcing its own [...]
Tax Freedom Day has come: You’re finally working for yourself May 31, 2015 Congratulations – you, and the rest of the UK, have collectively paid off your taxes for the year, and it only took you 150 days to do it. Every year, the Adam Smith Institute calculates Tax Freedom Day – the first day of the year when the average person stops working for the government [...]
With no deal on the cards, is the Eurozone too complacent about the risks Grexit poses? May 31, 2015 Guy Foster, group head of research at Brewin Dolphin, says Yes. It’s difficult to tell how complacent the Eurogroup really is about the risks of Grexit, as its rhetoric forms part of the negotiations. Both parties are citing a Grexit as their best alternative to a negotiated agreement. Their respective hands are strengthened as it [...]
The London Powerhouse: Universities are at the heart of the capital’s success May 28, 2015 Dreaming spires and cloistered courtyards: the image of Oxbridge has for centuries defined excellence in Britain’s global higher education offering. But in the twenty-first century, it is London’s elite universities that are tearing up the script. Last September, Imperial College shared second place with Cambridge in the QS World University Rankings, with Harvard just [...]
Nigeria’s new President Muhammadu Buhari promises to supercharge the African economic giant May 28, 2015 Criticism of Nigeria as a place to do business is widespread but misplaced. The scaremongers say that the country is unstable, with a crumbling economy and threats from terrorist groups. They point to oil shortages, collapsing crude prices, the ferocity of the Boko Haram terrorist group, and rampant corruption. But these snapshots do not paint [...]
Cheap money: Reports of the death of cash have been greatly exaggerated May 28, 2015 A landmark proposal has seen the Danish government consider ending the obligation of retailers to accept cash, a global first, with the implication that paper notes and coins could soon lose their grip on their status as legal tender. Figures from the Payments Council released last week, meanwhile, showed that cashless transactions have overtaken the [...]
As the Fifa corruption crisis continues, should sponsors be considering pulling back cash? May 28, 2015 Roger Barker, director of corporate governance at the Institute of Directors, says Yes Matters have come to a head at Fifa. The investigations and accusations that have been circulating for years have become charges and indictments. Sponsors have expressed concerns several times, but it is now time for those who pour millions into Fifa’s coffers [...]
Reforming UK executive pay is tortuous, but worthwhile May 27, 2015 Like electing a boss of Fifa whose surname isn’t Blatter or extracting an apology from Thomas Cook, reforming executive pay in the UK is a tortuous process. Vince Cable, the last Business Secretary, had a decent stab at it, introducing a binding vote on pay policies which yielded initial dividends in recalcitrant boardrooms. [...]
Queen’s Speech 2015: Let’s hope the Tories are saving the radicalism for the Budget May 27, 2015 We were told we’d never see such a sight again. Majorities were a thing of the past, they said, and coalition politics was here to stay. And yet there it was yesterday – resplendent in all the finery and pageantry that the British state can muster – a legislative programme for a majority Tory government. [...]