Oliver Dowden: London’s tech trailblazers will lead the charge to tackle climate change June 15, 2021 Humans have long innovated their way out of adversity, and now it’s time for tech to take on one of the greatest challenges of our time. In 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to commit to bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. It is one [...]
Britain is plagued by uncompetitive markets and a regulatory system encouraging market concentration June 14, 2021 The backslapping over the G7’s efforts to institute a new minimum global corporation tax rate last week was almost audible. The deal is a critical juncture – a signal that established economies are no longer racing to the bottom on business tax. But the palpable excitement should be cautioned: it takes far more to create [...]
Trouble brewing at BrewDog: Can co-founder James Watt apologise his way out of a toxic culture? June 14, 2021 Last week was a rocky one for self-styled “punk” brewers BrewDog. Some 60 former employees under the collective name of Punks with Purpose posted an open letter on Twitter, in which they accused the company and its founders, James Watt and Martin Dickie, of fostering a “cult of personality” and alleged that a “culture of [...]
Transport for London is ready to herald the return to work June 14, 2021 When the nation entered the first lockdown in March last year, many Londoners put away their Oyster or travel card oblivious to just how long it would be before it would be used next. At the time, Government guidance was – and continues to be – to “work from home where possible”. Buses, trains and [...]
GB News investors: We’re at a crossroads in the media and our mission must be to restore faith in the news June 13, 2021 Britain is entering a new phase of history, regaining an independent voice and charting a new path into the 21st Century. This is what we would call an unfrozen moment, a window in time when opportunities for positive change become possible for those with the vision to see the things that might be, and the [...]
The culture wars in numbers: we’re not as divided as we think we are June 12, 2021 “These days you get arrested and thrown in jail if you say you’re English, don’t you?” This opening gambit from a taxi driver in a Stewart Lee routine is an extreme example of the belief that speech is increasingly, and literally, policed “these days” – but it works because it reflects a real divide. The country is [...]
Multinational tax dodging strategies should be as damaging as fuelling climate change June 11, 2021 The G7’s landmark deal to tackle tax avoidance and crack down on multinational companies that treat our global economy as a financial rabbit warren, might seem a welcome step in the right direction. But until businesses start seeing tax as an investment opportunity as opposed to an unwelcome bill, it’s unlikely to make much of [...]
Citymapper helps us navigate our cities but now they need to find a way to profit June 11, 2021 There is immense value in being able to navigate around major cities on the go, avoiding the stress of checking multiple forms of transportation on varying platforms, especially as we start exploring again post-lockdown. Citymapper, an app almost ubiquitous in cities like London, is built with a simple and functional interface to make it the [...]
Screenshot: How did a software glitch break the internet? June 11, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Motty goes off the rails **How did a software glitch break the internet? **BT’s bolt from the blue Media Moment of the Week: Motty goes off the rails Look, everyone loves John Motson. He’s a juggernaut of football broadcasting and I don’t have a bad word to say [...]
There are trillions of dollars in sustainable finance and ethical investing, how do we tackle greenwashing? June 11, 2021 The announcement that the government is setting up a new group to help tackle “greenwashing” is good news for everyone. We know ethical investing is booming. Some models have ESG-linked funds outnumbering conventional ones by 2025, and the combination of climate-consciousness, social awareness, and a desire for purpose as well as profit bodes well for [...]