Editorial: London has deserved more from an insipid Mayoral contest May 5, 2021 It is fair to say the year-long delay to the London Mayoral election has not increased the appetite for it. Nor have the last few months been a vintage political campaign of sharp differences, eye-catching promises and grand visions for the future. That’s a shame. London is a global city and will reinvent itself post-pandemic. [...]
Local elections: Labour has become a metropolitan party disconnected from its political roots May 5, 2021 For Keir Starmer the elections on May 6 have become more of a challenge than an opportunity. Having brought Labour back level with the Conservatives in the polls last autumn, they turned against him again from February this year. Despite the seemingly endless narrative of prime ministerial scandal and the public’s declared scepticism as to [...]
Capital exports: London should have its own diplomats in every UK embassy to make Britain truly global May 4, 2021 British embassies around the world run the whole gamut. From No. 35, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré to Level 19 of the Shangri-La Offices in Ulaanbataar, they look different but all have the same purpose: to maintain and develop relations between the UK and the host country. That can mean a multitude of different things in [...]
There is a generation of small businesses hungry to reinvent the high street May 4, 2021 You’d be forgiven for thinking the story of our British high streets was all about the evacuation of large retailers. Debenhams, Mothercare, Topshop, Peacocks barely scratch the surface of the total exodus which has seen 11,000 shops close in just 12 months. Many have been quick to explain that the pandemic has simply accelerated an inevitable, crumbling demise. While our high streets might look bleak right now as larger companies withdraw, small businesses are [...]
City Recovery Taskforce: innovation and creativity must be at the heart of Square Mile’s restoration May 4, 2021 As history shows, the City of London is nothing if not adaptable and this remarkableability to reinvent itself in response to economic and social trends lies at the heartof its success. Throughout the centuries, the resilience of the Square Mile has meantthat, whatever adversity it is hit with – great fires, plagues or wars – it has alwaysmanaged to [...]
After Deliveroo’s car crash IPO, London needs a rebrand to fend off Europe’s financial centres May 3, 2021 Much like the carefully manufactured picture of a restaurant-quality dish displayed on the takeaway firm’s app, Deliveroo’s IPO promised so much, yet when it arrived, was a cold, undercooked imitation of the rich banquet investors had been promised. After a difficult period, one of London’s most high-profile IPOs in years turning into a car crash [...]
The value of vowels: Can Abrdn keep its legacy with its rebrand? May 2, 2021 With corporate and financial institutions, it is vital that all aspects of a brands’ communication evoke trust in that organisation, claim mind and market share, and lend gravitas and confidence to its product. The recent announcement that Standard Life Aberdeen is changing its name to Abrdn is a lesson for us all. Any serious, corporate [...]
We need mentorship at an executive level to achieve greater diversity May 2, 2021 Women have suffered disproportionately during the pandemic. A staggering 40 percent in the UK said they feel worse off than a year ago, according to February data from our monthly consumer sentiment survey, and more than 20 percent said their finances suffered. Efforts to help women recover and relaunch their careers must include mentoring. It’s well [...]
Post-pandemic, our education system needs a serious re-think May 1, 2021 The pandemic has thrown schools into a state of flux for over a year. Instead of rushing to return to a normal that was failing thousands of children, we should ask the most fundamental questions about what we want from our schools, and what a school actually should look like. We can begin to solve [...]
Covid Secure: we’ve spent too much time on hand sanitiser and not enough on fresh air April 30, 2021 The roll-out of the vaccine continues to be an unequivocal success story for this country, and long may it continue. Earlier this month, however, the Government made a crucial change in its communications strategy – “hands, face, space” became “hands, face, space, fresh air”. This is a subtle, yet significant amendment. It points to the [...]