Liz Truss must keep import tariffs on steel – or risk losing the industry in the UK for good April 22, 2021 In decades past, import tariffs were regarded as nothing but a protectionist relic of resistance to free trade. But in recent years, those of us who believe in fair competition have had to learn that tariffs are an essential safeguard in a global trading system where some countries will not play by the rules. The [...]
The Super League collapsed all by itself and Boris Johnson’s threats to intervene were badly misguided April 21, 2021 The Super League was a terrible idea. It inevitably fell apart before it even had a chance to begin. The owners of the dubiously self-titled Big Six exposed themselves as hopelessly out of touch with fans, players and their own managers. It became shamefully obvious to even the most fair-weather football fan that the format [...]
DEBATE: Should the government introduce legislation to ensure business is a force for good? April 21, 2021 Martin Bunch, Managing Partner at Bates Wells says Yes The Companies Act as it stands doesn’t get in the way of good corporate practice, but neither does it actively encourage corporations to embrace their responsibilities to wider society and the planet. The Better Business Act aims to amend the Companies Act and embed commitment to [...]
Unemployment has stabilised but there will be economic pain ahead April 21, 2021 There are high levels of business optimism. Survey after survey has told us this, from reports from Deloitte on large companies to evidence from the Federation of Small Businesses. Consumer savings are at an all-time high. People are itching to get out and spend the money they have been forced to accumulate. All in all, [...]
We must urgently solve the £15bn growth capital gap to keep innovation in the UK April 21, 2021 Cast your mind back to a decade ago, when the world of finance and banking was in disarray, and we were in midst of the worst economic disaster in generations. Trust in financial institutions was at an all-time low, and as so often happens, technology played a central role in restoring public faith and helped [...]
We need to keep a level head when we talk about new Covid variants April 20, 2021 Viruses mutate. Since Covid-19 first emerged, it has mutated thousands and thousands of times. Some of these changes are more concerning than others, but there must be a level-headed approach to this without a near-constant headline-grabbing hyperbole sowing fear every time a new variant emerges. Much of the recent coverage has been wildly unhelpful and [...]
No, minister, really: the David Cameron lobbying scandal and the death of advice in Whitehall April 20, 2021 The revelations of potentially undue influence on ministers over the past couple of weeks have been a happy hunting ground for purveyors of hyperbole and clutchers of pearls. A story which began with David Cameron texting the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, on behalf of a company which employed him has blossomed ferociously into a soup-to-nuts scandal [...]
The Green Party candidate to succeed Angela Merkel as Chancellor could control a fiercely left-wing German Government April 20, 2021 For the first time in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Green Party has nominated a candidate in the race to be Chancellor and succeed Angela Merkel. This morning, the party announced 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock to stand in the September 27 election. After Merkel’s Christian Democrats, the Greens are polling in second [...]
SocGen: UK fintech is at a post-Brexit crossroads and must forge global links to retain its position April 20, 2021 The UK’s position as global fintech leader is facing a pivotal moment as it confronts the dual challenges of fending off competition in a post-Brexit world and capitalising on Covid accelerated digital adoption opportunities across the globe. The UK has had a proud history of leading the way in financial innovation, from its global reputation [...]
We need tougher consumer protection to end the hours of hold music when things go wrong April 19, 2021 It might have been for your cancelled two-week summer holiday. Or it could have been that parcel you ordered that never arrived. First comes the disappointment and frustration, then the dread. You are now staring down the barrel of what could be a lengthy, painful battle with a customer service team to get your money [...]