UK philanthropists must embrace innovation – or risk falling behind demand October 7, 2014 GIVING away money is a serious business, and one at which the UK excels. But we could do better still. New Philanthropy Capital has spent more than a decade advising people on how they can direct their cash to good causes. We work with recipients too, teaming up with UK charities to help them become [...]
Forget a penal mansion tax: It’s archaic council tax that needs desperate reform October 7, 2014 WHILE the party conference headlines have focused on Ed Miliband forgetting to mention the deficit, both the Labour leader and David Cameron were also guilty of only referring to “investment” twice in their conference addresses. When that happens, you know political minds are on next May’s general election, rather than on what is best for [...]
Can a pill stop you drinking? Why short-term nudges won’t change behaviour October 7, 2014 THE NATIONAL Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has been the butt of much ridicule over the past week. A pill designed to reduce alcohol consumption among problem drinkers is set to be made available across the NHS. But the concept of problem drinkers is so wide that it embraces people who enjoy a [...]
After a nurse contracted the Ebola virus in Spain, should we fear a global catastrophe? October 7, 2014 Dr Ian Kearns, co-founder and director of the European Leadership Network, says Yes. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that, without additional intervention, Ebola could infect up to 1.4m people in Liberia and Sierra Leone by January. It won’t stop there. With increased travel and immigration, the disease will go global. [...]
Ed Bramson: The man in the spotlight who refused to deliver his lines – View from the Floor October 6, 2014 Ed Bramson was perhaps the calmest man in the room yesterday. Sitting quietly beneath the crystal chandeliers adorning the opulent surroundings of Saddlers’ Hall, he clutched a macintosh and umbrella and sat in the audience as the downpour hammered outside. All eyes were on the British-born, silver-haired New Yorker when chairman Yates opened the floor. [...]
London’s thriving tech sector is under threat – from bonkers EU VAT reforms October 6, 2014 LONDON’S technology sector is thriving, with the capital’s tech firms attracting a record $1bn in venture capital investment in the first nine months of 2014. And as the general election approaches, there’s been no shortage of ideas for policy changes that could accelerate London’s tech growth further. Take the recent Coadec manifesto, which proposed a [...]
Lib Dems are confused on economic freedom: No wonder voters aren’t impressed October 6, 2014 THE ORANGE Book, written by a group of Liberal Democrat thinkers and politicians in 2004, had a clear message for a party often criticised for inconsistency. It articulated a desire for the Lib Dems to embrace economic liberalism and apply market solutions to a range of challenges, including in healthcare, environmental policy, and pensions. It [...]
Mobilising the best of British: How the City can get behind the new-look armed forces October 6, 2014 The Olympics, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the annual Lord Mayor’s Show have all showcased the very best of Britain and London. And at the centre of each of these events have been our armed forces. As military operations in Afghanistan draw to a close, our armed forces are changing. We are expanding the role [...]
As the World Bank cuts its GDP forecasts for China, is the country’s growth story ending? October 6, 2014 Craig Botham, emerging markets economist at Schroders, says Yes. The investment-led, credit-fuelled model that generated double digit growth is gone, and it’s not coming back. The economic stresses caused by annual credit growth of 30 to 40 per cent, and a 47 per cent share of investment in GDP, are well-documented and recognised – even [...]
One country, two cultures: There’ll be no happy ending to the Hong Kong protests October 5, 2014 “We claim nothing but the liberty and privileges of Englishmen… we can not be deprived of them without our consent.” – George Mason, a founder of the American republic, 1776 “There is no room to make concessions on important principles.” – The People’s Daily, the official paper of the Chinese Communist Party, 3 [...]