20 years on from 9/11: the waxing and waning of the US-UK ‘special relationship’, from Bush to Biden September 11, 2021 Twenty years on from one of the greatest days of infamy to strike the Western world, the attack on the 9th of September 2001, there are myriad points to reflect on, not least the ongoing heartache it has left on our collective psyche. One of those, though, should surely be the impact that this great [...]
Back to school in the City: Lessons for a CEO from M&A to COP26 September 10, 2021 It’s been back to school in the City this week, with the streets of the Square Mile once again flooded (if not quite packed) with people. On the surface, it may look similar to pre-Covid, as footfall ramps up and Transport for London reported the busiest month since March 2020. CEOs, however, cannot return to [...]
Quo vadis, Georgia? The UK and EU have a cautious path to tread with its diplomatic ties September 10, 2021 The last year or two in Georgian politics have thrown up several disturbing events. None are more perplexing than the nations’ decision to engage in a cooperation agreement with the Belarusian KGB last month. While Western countries ramped up sanctions against the regime in Minsk, Georgia’s move was at odds with its aspirations for EU [...]
The furlough scheme protected our economy but now it has to come to an end September 10, 2021 Around nine million jobs were furloughed at the height of the first lockdown in spring 2020 – almost a third of the entire workforce. While the furlough scheme has not been able to protect every job, unemployment during the pandemic could well have numbered in the millions without it – as happened in countries, like [...]
Facebook’s $400m acquisition of Giphy could be blocked based on fruitless antitrust claims September 9, 2021 The Competition and Markets Authority have threatened to dissolve Facebook’s £289m acquisition of Giphy based on fruitless allegations the merger would be anti-competitive. The only catch is: Facebook and Giphy are not competitors. Breaking up this deal on antitrust grounds will have international consequences. Regulators across the world are becoming increasingly hostile towards Facebook, as [...]
Wise: Banks will face death by a thousand fintechs if they don’t collaborate with new innovations September 9, 2021 The thought of “coming together” and “partnerships” have historically not conjured up images of banking, yet, today, the banking sector is very familiar with these terms. Banks face fierce competition competition from countless specialist digital fintechs, with the ability to adapt and innovate quickly to solve customers’ specific problems. Efficiency is at the core of [...]
Rail fares could be hiked by 5 per cent – it’s time for an overhaul of how we view public transport September 9, 2021 This week marked the start of the new academic year in earnest and for many it was also a return to work, coming back into London for the first time after months of working from home. But for rail commuters, the latest inflation figures could mean the biggest fare hike in a decade. If the government sticks to its current formula of bumping up fares by one percent [...]
A service economy and shrinking workforce is the driving force of low economic growth September 8, 2021 Extinction Rebellion’s fortnight of protests have only hardened existing beliefs and positions on both sides of the debate. But a book by Dietrich Vollrath of the University of Houston suggests that there may be much broader support for a low or even zero growth agenda than even XR might imagine. Vollrath does not address this [...]
Nicola Sturgeon has put independence ahead of Scotland’s economic recovery September 8, 2021 It’s that time of year again, when politicians, members, delegates and the media begin to pack their bags ahead of the party conference season. First up this year, albeit online, is the SNP, who, after almost fifteen years in Government, will set out their priorities anew. It should come as no surprise that independence is top of that agenda, just as it was [...]
Could you have lost out on a job because of your politics? Almost definitely September 8, 2021 Being part of a group is central to how humans survive, and once we have found ours, it fundamentally shapes how we behave. Under pressure, this tendency to group – for all its benefits – can lead us to double down on who we see as “us” and who becomes a disliked “them”. Feelings become [...]