Clicks vs bricks is gone: Even savvy e-commerce firms need to do both May 21, 2015 The retail industry is in a state of flux. Consumers and technology are driving fundamental changes. And now, the line between in-store and online is increasingly blurred. When online shopping began to gain popularity, the future of retail was painted by numerous commentators as being a battle: clicks versus bricks. But recent events [...]
Why it’s highly unlikely that David Cameron’s immigration crackdown will work May 21, 2015 The government yesterday unveiled its latest plan to crack down on illegal immigration, by making it significantly less attractive for people to remain in the UK, working illegally. To achieve this, it is proposing to introduce a new criminal offence – “illegal working” – together with plans to seize the wages of those working illegally. [...]
Thomas Cook Corfu deaths tragedy: The government must reform paltry damages May 21, 2015 Much has been said about the PR disaster surrounding Thomas Cook’s handling of the Corfu carbon monoxide poisoning, which killed Robert and Christianne Shepherd in 2006. But the case also throws into the spotlight one of the fundamental injustices in English law: the level of damages awarded following a fatal accident. The current level [...]
Entreprise bill: Bigger steps needed to help small companies tackle late payments May 21, 2015 Sajid Javid’s new enterprise bill, announced this week in Bristol, is certainly well intentioned, but it's unlikely to have a significant impact on late payment. Late payments are a silent but significant killer of UK businesses. It is not yet clear what tools the government has to resolve this problem. The third party conciliation [...]
How energy subsidies are teaching the EU an invaluable lesson in competition May 20, 2015 Of all the functions performed by the EU, competition policy is arguably the most important – and where it could stand to do the most good. Unfortunately, many of the Commission’s attempts at trust-busting have been misguided. Last month, for instance, its authorities issued formal charges against Google. And last week, we found out that [...]
The global economy is vulnerable – but we must stop panicking about deflation May 20, 2015 As UK inflation turned negative in April, some took the news as yet more evidence that the spectre of deflation haunts the world economy. Deflation is all too often seen as a dark cloud hovering over the horizon, about to unleash its destructive force. But deflation and depression are not synonymous. The Great Depression in [...]
Silver entrepreneurs: Why UK pensioners are setting up businesses May 20, 2015 As filming for The Apprentice 2015 gets underway in the City, we’ll soon be introduced to the latest hopefuls, all keen to be Lord Sugar’s business partner, and bag the £250,000 investment for their business idea. While the previous participants have tended to be in their early 20s to mid-30s, I can’t help but wonder [...]
As Japanese growth picks up pace, can we expect QE in the Eurozone to be as successful? May 20, 2015 Christian Schulz, senior economist at Berenberg, says Yes Since early 2013, when Japan’s QE became imminent, its average quarterly annualised GDP growth rate has risen to 1 per cent, from 0.2 per cent in 2011/12. In the Eurozone, with the European Central Bank (ECB) launching QE, GDP expanded by 1.6 per cent in the first [...]
Stop the dithering: David Cameron needs to make an early call on Heathrow or Gatwick airport expansion May 19, 2015 As MPs arrive in Westminster to take their seats in the House of Commons this week, one of the bigger decisions they will face – and one which I believe must be taken urgently – is the decision to build a new London runway. Having spent almost three years rigorously examining all the evidence, [...]
Wider appeal isn’t what a dying Labour should worry about – it’s core voters May 19, 2015 Could Labour disappear? The party has been a prominent feature of British politics for a century, but could we now see it just vanish? There is a clear historical precedent. In 1906, the Liberal Party won 399 seats in the House of Commons. It was a great, reforming government, which laid the foundations of [...]