Angela Merkel apology: Is Entschuldigung still the hardest word? March 29, 2021 “Never apologise, never explain.” The originator of that pithy advice is disputed, but it has become something of a credo for politicians. To say sorry in anything but the blandest terms is deemed to be fatal to the career, because it admits error, and there is a widespread belief, often borne out by fact, that [...]
Corporate diversity: The City must keep working to enable fair access to everyone March 29, 2021 Last week, our nation came together to mark the anniversary of our first national lockdown. The National Day of Reflection was a time for all of us to reflect on the year that has passed and how dramatically our lives have changed. As we look ahead towards the coming months, many will be wondering what [...]
The office needs to be completely re-imagined March 28, 2021 Imagine this. Your alarm goes off slightly earlier than usual, it’s Tuesday; office day. You look forward to putting on properly fitted clothing – especially on your bottom half. The commute is no longer the daily draining slog it once was, but a novelty you enjoy – a time to listen to that podcast and [...]
Covid-19, a year on: A breakdown of trust between the police and the public March 28, 2021 In March last year, police were given extraordinary powers. Hastily drawn up regulations granted them the ability to ensure people stay at home, except for essential reasons. People across the country accepted an incredible curtailing of their liberties, and, in doing so, accepted the police force’s role to enforce the lockdown. Time and time again, [...]
Vaccine passports: NHS Test & Trace was a travesty of an app, jab certificates must do better March 27, 2021 The renewed debate around the adoption of vaccine passports is at the forefront of the agenda for those in the travel sector, and now, publicans are being told they could be able to bar customers who haven’t had a jab or a negative Covid test. This week, Boris Johnson suggested “it may be up to [...]
Boris Johnson’s visit to India will put his trade principles to the test March 27, 2021 In the much anticipated Integrated Foreign Policy & Defence Review published last week, the government set out one of its key principles as “promoting) effective and transparent governance, robust democratic institutions and the rule of law”. Fine words; a clear echo – whether conscious or not – of a fundamental tenet of liberal thought. It was [...]
Covid-19, a year on: What we’ve learnt about teen gambling and video games March 26, 2021 In this series, City A.M. looks back at the last year of the pandemic and Covid restrictions and takes stock of its impact on industries and issues at the heart of British society. Read more: Read the full Covid-19, a year on series here. Every time you pick-up a smart device, you’re entering a multi-billion-dollar war zone, [...]
Screenshot: Will workers’ rights put a puncture in Deliveroo’s IPO? March 26, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Farewell to the real McCoy **Will workers’ rights put a puncture in Deliveroo’s IPO? **A watchdog bares its teeth Media Moment of the Week: Farewell to the real McCoy In a shock bit of transfer news this week, BBC presenter Simon McCoy announced he was leaving the Beeb [...]
Covid-19, a year on: the need for a more diverse UK economy March 26, 2021 In this series, City A.M. looks back at the last year of the pandemic and Covid restrictions and takes stock of its impact on industries and issues at the heart of British society. Read more: Read the full Covid-19, a year on series here. The UK’s economy was hit by a 10 per cent drop in GDP [...]
The fight for the City: Can Labour challenge the orthodoxy of a pro-business Conservative Party March 26, 2021 Free market purists dismiss it as “woke capitalism”. But could a thriving concern in the City for the health of the planet and for social justice pose an opportunity for the Labour Party? The Square Mile is traditionally caricatured as Tory territory – never an entirely accurate assumption, given its young, multicultural workforce with a [...]