Let this be the week that Liz Truss moves into Number 11 Downing Street July 23, 2019 We are now at the end of the Tory leadership election. Today, we will have the results, and tomorrow, either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt will be sworn in as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. But throughout it all, another important contest has largely gone ignored: the race for Number 11. Within the Westminster [...]
Data is our NHS’ most precious asset – the next Prime Minister must protect it July 23, 2019 Britain is about to have a new government. And in a few months’ time, there could be a General Election resulting in the third government of 2019. On top of this, Brexit has still not been resolved. But in the fog of these political crises, we must not lose sight of innovations which, if adopted [...]
Jo Swinson is the new Lib Dem leader – now where will she take her party? July 22, 2019 The votes have been counted, the outcome announced, and a new leader has taken the reins – not of the Conservative party, whose results we will know tomorrow, but of the Liberal Democrats. After a race which was almost entirely overshadowed by the Tories, Jo Swinson has been named the successor to Sir Vince Cable. [...]
The EU’s new ‘dream team’ portends disaster for the failing bloc July 22, 2019 The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus put it perfectly: character is destiny. In the case of the European Union’s recent undemocratic appointment of a comically inept rogue’s gallery as its new Commission president, head of the European Central Bank (ECB), and foreign minister, there is little doubt that come the next crisis, these deeply mediocre individuals [...]
DEBATE: Is 4G on the Tube something to get excited about? July 22, 2019 Is 4G on the Tube something to get excited about? Ben Askins, managing director at Verb Brands, says YES. “Sorry I didn’t get back to you, I was on the Tube” is an anecdote that our grandchildren will be shocked by. While it’s true that no one will be able to stop the incoming onslaught [...]
Don’t underestimate the importance of the Strait of Hormuz to the global economy July 22, 2019 If last week’s obstruction of a British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz did not illustrate the dangers our seafarers face, we were furnished with further proof on Friday, when Iran seized the Stena Impero in international waters. Only the timely intervention of a Royal Navy frigate had secured the safe passage of the British [...]
We all have a part to play in bridging the UK’s disability employment gap July 22, 2019 Your first job interview can be a daunting experience. For disabled people, that first time can be even more challenging. Imagine having to take on a job interview where the preparatory material has been supplied in a format that you cannot read. Or imagine having that interview in the car park, because you can’t access [...]
Could Jacob Rees-Mogg help Boris Johnson to revolutionise our planning system? July 22, 2019 Boris Johnson hasn’t exactly broken a sweat in this leadership election. He’s ducked debates, declined interviews and appeared generally unenthusiastic about subjecting himself to too much scrutiny. His defenders may point out that he’s participated in a large number of hustings for party members, but these have been treated as occasions to give his supporters [...]
The Extinction Rebels seem to care more about capitalism than climate July 19, 2019 If your commute to work this week has been blocked by a giant colourful boat, you have Extinction Rebellion (XR) to thank. The self-defined “non-violent civil disobedience activist movement” has begun its summer of disruption, shutting down traffic in five UK cities to protest against climate change “inaction”. A worthy and vital attempt to safeguard [...]
DEBATE: Has any technological development in the last 50 years matched the magnitude of the moon landing? July 19, 2019 Has any technological development in the last 50 years matched the magnitude of the moon landing? Ivan Mazour, chief executive and founder of AI-powered customer retention platform Ometria, says YES. When asked about the greatest innovation of the past century, would many of us point to the moon landing? A feat remarkable, yes, but unrepeated [...]