Siri showed us how much we want speech recognition to work – and how bad it can be October 22, 2021 Ten years ago Apple launched Siri. It was described as a “humble virtual assistant”, using natural language processing to interpret and action voice commands. It was seen as a major step forward for speech and voice recognition, with one analyst describing it as “a powerful harbinger of the future use of mobile devices – not [...]
Hiring ex-convicts to fill shortages could fight prejudice in the workforce October 22, 2021 Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab delighted us with some rare wisdom yesterday. To fill in the pressing labour shortages that have been dominating the news agenda recently, Raab suggested employing ex-convicts. The haulage and food factory sectors are only some of the industries affected by shortages that could welcome ex-offenders as part of their workforce. [...]
Letters: Sadiq Khan is right – London deserves better October 22, 2021 [Re: London mayor Sadiq Khan will use Cop26 to vouch for cities like London, October 20] I read with interest the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan will use the upcoming Cop26 summit to vouch for cities like London to have greater powers and funding. This is a welcome step to ensure we make real progress [...]
Opinion-in-brief: Sadiq Khan expansion of ULEZ comes at the ultra-worst time October 21, 2021 Londoners need more time and help to prepare for Sadiq Khan’s expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone. Covid restrictions only ended three months ago, and few have had a chance to recover, let alone prepare for the charge. City Hall has offered little help to those who can’t afford to switch vehicles. Only a [...]
Letters: The cost (and profit) of going green October 21, 2021 Re: Green Revolution, costs apply, October 19] The front page “ Green Revolution * Costs apply “ missed out one main point . Opportunities apply too. The City and business globally have been working on the step change required for decades. Many of these innovations are being led by UK plc. This will create and [...]
Sunak’s budget must navigate the Catch-22 of inflation and recovery October 21, 2021 There have been some pretty bleak backdrops to budget announcements over the years. In March 2008, Alistair Darling faced the daunting task of delivering a budget while the world was in the teeth of the financial crisis. Denis Healy’s April 1979 budget was surely the worst, after the government lost a vote of confidence. The [...]
Capitalism has saved us from the pandemic, we need to defend free markets October 21, 2021 In the last few weeks, the news has been flooded with reports about fuel shortages. While the worst of it has waned, it has posed fundamental questions about how we function as a society and how we keep Britain moving. The pandemic certainly saw the return of big government. The state is now a larger [...]
CMA Chief exec: Crack downs on tech monopolies will safeguard London’s competitive edge October 21, 2021 Effective competition is the lifeblood of a thriving economy. The chance to succeed with hard work and a good idea is a source of hope, and opportunity to entrepreneurs everywhere. While monopolies stifle innovation and focus on protecting their existing profits, competition leads to vibrancy and new ideas. Ensuring digital markets are competitive is a [...]
Decarbonisation of aviation: Is the govt ignoring its own evidence on airport expansion? October 20, 2021 The Government appears to ignore its own evidence when it comes to airport expansion and the decarbonisation of aviation. The Net Zero Strategy published yesterday, highlights how difficult it is to decarbonise aviation and places heavy reliance on the development of ‘sustainable aviation fuels’. The indicative transport pathway includes expected emissions reductions across transport of [...]
Opinion-in-brief: Rishi, stop dawdling on business rates October 20, 2021 Business rates raise £26bn a year but the tax is unfairly skewered against the retail sector who pay nearly one third of the tax. Only contribute one fifth to UK GDP. Retailers are paying rates bills linked to rental value 2015 – despite very different market conditions. Unaffordable business rates bills have been cited as [...]