Protecting the green belt is not about the environment, it’s blinkered self-interest June 22, 2021 The UK needs approximately 345,000 new homes per year if we are to tackle our housing crisis. It is also estimated that by developing just 5.2 per cent of the existing Green Belt, we could build 1.4 million homes. Everybody knows the UK is in the throes of a housing crisis, yet we refuse to [...]
Treasury minister: Pushing a new global corporation tax will be crucial at G20 June 22, 2021 The recent G7 agreement on tax was a vital breakthrough in the fair and effective taxation of multinationals. It is one we should all be proud of, because the UK has consistently led on this issue. But you would not think so, to read some of the commentary. Labour politicians in particular have been desperate [...]
Old guard of the Square Mile must change their attitude towards loss-making, high-growth tech companies June 21, 2021 Towards the tail end of 2020, investors were gleefully rubbing their hands looking ahead to a year like no other for London’s public markets. Rumours of multi-billion pound tech floats from the likes of Deliveroo, Darktrace and Wise began to swirl around the City. By late March this year, the hotly anticipated Deliveroo IPO led [...]
In whose backyard, then? Lib Dem nimbyism in local areas comes at the expense of the country June 21, 2021 Last week the government suffered an unexpected setback in the loss of the Chesham and Amersham by-election to the Liberal Democrats. The received wisdom is that this is not a fatal wound, nor the beginning of a trend away from the Conservatives in their Home Counties heartlands, but rather a reversion to the old pattern [...]
The City is resilient but it needs to nurture its small businesses and advocate for a return to the office June 21, 2021 Over the last 12 months, the City has faced twin challenges from Britain’s exit from the European Union and the pandemic. Despite these challenges, the financial and professional services sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience as well as playing a key role in supporting other parts of the economy. We cannot, however, afford to be complacent. [...]
Andy Haldane became the media darling of economics, the Bank of England must continue his legacy June 20, 2021 After 32 years at the Bank of England, the current senior economist at Threadneedle Street – Andy Haldane – is moving on to new pastures. His departure as one of the top dogs at the Bank of England will leave the oldest and first central bank without his valuable experience. But as communication with the [...]
Saturday essay: Lockdown has entrenched tribal fault-lines. Is there still British common sense? June 19, 2021 There is little doubt, now, that the widely misunderstood silent majority rarely benefits from taking the advice of tribal politicians. Typically it is the other way round. Why is it that so many politicians are often much more tribally unforgiving and prone to political exaggeration than voters? Because the need for political guidance will seem [...]
DEBATE: Are pedestrianised streets enough to bring retail back to life? June 18, 2021 Oxford Circus is being given a makeover. On both sides of the tube station, cars will be banished, and the space will be transformed into two “piazzas”, as the Italians call it. Westminster Council, who are spearheading the project, will pedestrianise the area in hopes of injecting life back into fledgling shops struggling to make [...]
Screenshot: Can GB News survive the ad boycott backlash? June 18, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Richard Madeley goes full Partridge **Can GB News survive the ad boycott backlash? **London’s bumper fintech float: a Wise move Media Moment of the Week: Richard Madeley goes full Partridge It’s always risky when producers attempt a comeback of an old show, so I was sceptical when I [...]
GB News has been ‘cancelled’ and made a roaring success out of it June 18, 2021 In less than a week, GB News has achieved what it set out to do. In his opening introduction, Andrew Neil vowed to expose “cancel culture” and focus on the news that matters to people outside of the “Westminster bubble”. Right on cue, a host of companies from Octopus Energy to the cider firm Kopparberg [...]