After Gatwick, how do we prevent future drone chaos? April 8, 2019 Last year’s disruption at Gatwick airport is estimated to have cost over £50m. The incident points to the urgent need for significant action to ensure that drones are used safely and securely in the UK. The government has begun to regulate the sector: it is currently an offence to endanger aircraft, drone pilots are not permitted [...]
If Brexit has taught us anything, it’s that we need to be bold when it comes to world trade April 8, 2019 A little over two years ago, the first direct rail freight service from China to the UK rolled into Barking’s 165-year old station to much fanfare. Of course, the completion of this mammoth 18-day, 7,500-mile trip from the Chinese city of Yiwu marked the moment that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) reached the UK. [...]
Let’s not let rage become the prevailing story of our nation April 8, 2019 Public morality, but private depravity – a time when keeping up appearances on the outside was very much the order of the day. You have to wonder if Brexit has turned this Victorian attitude decisively on its head. No one watching the daily media scrum on College Green could argue that today’s national conversation is [...]
Sadiq Khan’s ill-conceived pollution plan only threatens London’s push to go green April 8, 2019 From today, all private hire drivers in London will have to pay the daily £11.50 congestion charge when driving in central London. This is an enormous financial burden for some of the city’s lower paid workers – costing nearly £3,000 a year for a driver earning around £25,000. It's also hugely unfair for operators, many [...]
Legal Q&A: Major League Soccer’s trademark dispute with Inter Milan over David Beckham’s team name April 7, 2019 Nora Fowler of intellectual property law firm EIP explains the ongoing legal dispute between Major League Soccer and Italian football club Inter Milan over the proposed name of David Beckham's MLS franchise. What is the dispute? The dispute relates to the right to use and register the term INTER as a trademark for soccer related entertainment [...]
Sponsoring women’s football isn’t just a good look for brands – it’s a lucrative opportunity too April 7, 2019 It’s impossible to avoid the conversation around women’s football at the moment – and particularly so in the world of marketing advocating for the opportunities it presents. Before jumping in head first, brands need to think about why they want to get involved. But the bigger question is why sponsorship of women’s football presents commercial [...]
Opinion: It’s about time gas boilers were axed, but developers need to be investing in smart, sustainable technologies from the outset April 5, 2019 In his recent Spring Statement, the Chancellor announced that from 2025 newly built homes will not be connected to the gas grid, meaning that gas boiler installation will be a thing of the past. It is good to see the government taking on board the recommendation of the Committee on Climate Change, which called for [...]
Morality matters: How tolerant are we of intolerance? April 5, 2019 To boycott or not to boycott? It’s a very live issue. The BDS movement – boycott, divestment, sanctions – which grew out of the Israel/Palestine conflict and seeks to punish Israel for its policy towards the Palestinian state and people, has shown how factionalised and controversial sanctions and boycotts can become. With passions running white-hot [...]
It’s time for the pensions industry to stop taking customers for granted April 5, 2019 With workplace pension contributions increasing from tomorrow, I’m reminded of a recent industry event that I attended. During the keynote, the speaker cut to a video where members of the public were stopped on the street and asked “who is your pension provider?” Most of those questioned looked confused, unable to recall where their pensions [...]
Debate: Given the problems at Wow Air, should we be worried about the future of the airline industry? April 5, 2019 Given the problems at Wow Air, should we be worried about the future of the airline industry? Yes – Anthony Hynes is chief executive of eNett international. With Iceland’s Wow Air and other airlines going bust recently, it’s undeniable that the airline industry is going through some turbulent times. In fact, our recent study shows that [...]