Opinion-in-brief: London investors need to broaden their horizons October 7, 2021 Britain has a world reputation for innovation and industry, founded on capabilities and expertise across its regions. London is the political and financial centre of the country, but whether it’s media in Manchester, or motorsport in the Midlands, the regions host many world-leading businesses. Venture capital has a key role to play in realising opportunities [...]
Boris Johnson is gambling on the war-on-woke to keep rioting Tories at bay over taxes October 7, 2021 Boris Johnson is a man not used to picking up the tab. During his tenure at the Spectator, he infamously never repaid the interns who bought him coffees and in Downing Street he has tried to palm off the bill for everything from his curtains to Daylesford Organic ready meals. Before the pandemic, while crucial [...]
Universities have sown their own demise with blended learning and short courses October 7, 2021 The start of autumn has seen the start of the university term for students since time immemorial. This time round of course, the ritual of hauling luggage round the country to the halls of residence has not quite been on the same scale as usual. Some universities, including members of the prestigious Russell Group, are [...]
A revitalised gig economy free from controversy is in all of our best interests October 7, 2021 Back in 2009, the gig economy promised to revolutionise the relationship between companies and the people working for them. The main attraction of the gig economy is that it offers freedom; freedom to set your own rules and have the flexibility to work when it suits. This was the future of employment, but fast-forward a [...]
Editorial: Boris the boxer owns the ring – but the real fight is yet to come October 6, 2021 In the city that gave us Tyson Fury – the heavyweight champion of the world – Boris Johnson proved yesterday that he owns the ring of British politics. Manchester saw a bravura performance – the ability to land the well-placed jab at Labour, the crowd-pleasing hook on enemies both real and imagined, and the footwork [...]
Party time for Tories as Boris Johnson shows off his iron grip on British politics October 6, 2021 Boris Johnson’s bouyant speech today was a fitting end to a Tory party conference that was marked by an overriding sense of triumphalism. Endless crates of Bollinger were cracked open with the ease and vigour of a teenager necking their first Bacardi Breezer. The Midland Hotel’s bar was packed round the clock with bespectacled and [...]
Opinion-in-brief: hybrid work should become part of company culture October 6, 2021 The past 18 months have been extremely transformative for our working lives. They have poked holes in the rigid tradition of presenteeism and prompted companies to explore new ways of working. With the return to London’s office, companies are under pressure to prove they’ve learned their lessons. Spaces are being repurposed to foster better in-person [...]
Welcome to the Green Room: Boris needs to finally deliver Net Zero October 6, 2021 As Boris Johnson strides onto the stage at Tory Party Conference he’ll promise the earth – and talk about saving it. The environment is front and centre of British politics now and Boris has made no secret of his ambitions to go green. Last year, in typical style, the PM vowed that Britain could become [...]
Fuel prices going up, green energy getting cheap: now it’s time for a flexible energy grid October 6, 2021 The ongoing gas crisis has highlighted that our current energy system is unsustainable. As fuel prices have tripled in a year, our dependence on it seems more and more risky. It has also become clear that the unhappy history of geopolitics and fossil fuels – brought home by Putin withholding gas supplies into Europe over [...]
Grenfell should stand as a reminder that we have a long way to go on housing October 6, 2021 Housing is at the centre of today’s political conversation. The electorate is acutely aware of the housing crisis, and is demanding sincere policies to solve it. At the Conservative Party Conference this week, Michael Gove talked about raising living standards and making homes a safe and decent place to live in this country. Gove has [...]