Change is in the air across the Irish Sea, as Leo Varadkar is learning the hard way February 7, 2020 Change is the word du jour across the Republic of Ireland right now. As the General Election comes to its final stages tomorrow, the word has become so ubiquitous — in the leaders’ debates and on the campaign trail — it feels it has lost all meaning. For nearly 10 years, centre-right Fine Gael has [...]
The Lords will benefit from Square Mile lifers February 7, 2020 If you were designing Britain’s constitutional system from scratch, it is unlikely the House of Lords in its current form would make it into the final draft of your masterplan. With 794 members, it is now the second largest legislative body in the world, trailing only the National People’s Congress of China in that dubious [...]
Don’t turn BBC reform into a political football February 7, 2020 Move over Brexit, there’s a new B-word battle: over the fate of the BBC. Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister’s chief adviser, has had the broadcaster in his sights for some time, with reports from his think tank in 2004 suggesting axing it altogether. Opening shots were fired after December’s election, when Cummings imposed a ministerial [...]
We must not let fear of terror attacks compromise our human rights February 7, 2020 The recent attacks in London Bridge and Streatham have highlighted clear flaws in the management of terror offenders. Both were perpetrated by convicts still under licence conditions, released automatically halfway through their sentences. The government is now urgently looking to address this — as it undoubtedly should. However, it should be wary of trampling civil [...]
With apprenticeships, firms can teach old dogs new tricks February 7, 2020 We are living through extraordinary times. Disruptive tech innovations, dizzying political upheavals, and growing public demand for action on issues from inequality to the environment are all contributing to a landscape of unprecedented change. But we are still clinging to outdated ideas of how — and when — we should gain new skills. The use [...]
Does Philip Hammond deserve a peerage? February 7, 2020 Does Philip Hammond deserve a peerage? Ben Kelly, a commentator for Reaction, says YES. Philip Hammond became a mighty irritant to Tory Brexiteers during his time as chancellor, so it is unsurprising that many of them are irked by Boris Johnson nominating him for a peerage. It’s true that he passionately opposed Brexit and was [...]
Alastair Stewart should take comfort in the reaction of his friends and fans February 6, 2020 Last week this column made way for my interview with Sadiq Khan, so I didn’t have the chance to write about the outrageous treatment of broadcaster Alastair Stewart. In the week since, the veteran journalist has maintained a dignified silence, but the chorus of support from friends, colleagues and strangers has grown ever louder. To recap, [...]
Democrats are risking a Corbynesque mistake February 6, 2020 Tuesday morning’s New York Post headline — “Duh Moines,” after the capital of Iowa, Des Moines — neatly summed up the reaction of most of the watching world to the much-hyped start of the US presidential election. A new voting app turned the first Democrat primary (where potential presidential candidates are ranked) into an utter [...]
Fusion energy can power us to a greener world February 6, 2020 There is an old joke among scientists: fusion power is 30 years away, and always will be. Yet as we enter the decade in which the big questions on the future of energy must be answered, is it time to revisit fusion and its unrivalled potential to change the way the world generates power? The [...]
It’s time for marketers to give the emoji a thumbs up and a smiley face February 6, 2020 There is a clear rule of thumb in the world of marketing: emojis equal engagement. Emails with an emoji in the subject line have better click-throughs, and social media posts with images get more responses. Given this, why do some marketers still feel that these modern-day hieroglyphics are a formality fail, especially in a business setting? [...]