DEBATE: In light of its limited success so far, should the apprenticeship levy be scrapped? February 8, 2019 In light of its limited success so far, should the apprenticeship levy be scrapped? Charlie Mullins, chief executive and founder of Pimlico Plumbers, says YES. The purpose of the apprenticeship levy was to increase the number of new apprentices, in a genuine effort to combat the UK’s skills gap. However it has proven an unmitigated disaster, [...]
How to capitalise on China’s luxury boom February 8, 2019 As many companies experience a slowdown in China, luxury brands are surely smiling as they look at their sales performance. Last week, LVMH – the world’s largest luxury group, which includes brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Moet & Chandon – surprised everyone by announcing an increase in sales during its fourth quarter earnings, and [...]
Revive that entrepreneurial spirit and get Britain building again February 8, 2019 Politicians have recently become fond of talking about how to tackle our alarming housing crisis. Yet little is delivered – and what is achieved focuses on inflating demand, with schemes like Help to Buy which do nothing to address the underlying supply shortage. In the third quarter of 2018, building on 46,930 new homes began [...]
Ollie Phillips: Brilliant England need to prove Ireland performance was not just a flash in the pan February 7, 2019 What a difference one match makes. England’s outstanding win over Ireland was a performance which saw them emphatically back to their best, displaying their true potential. It was the perfect way to start the Six Nations and a World Cup year, with intensity, physicality, accuracy and pace which out-did one of the best teams in [...]
If Trump reaches a hand across the aisle, Democrats would be wise to take it February 7, 2019 For a brief moment on Tuesday evening, the customary rancour of US politics was set aside in a most unusual spontaneous display. To everyone’s surprise, President Donald Trump’s delayed 2019 State of the Union speech – which had itself become a political football in the struggle between a Democratic House of Representatives and a Republican [...]
DEBATE: Should schools start later to help teenagers be more productive, as MPs will debate on Monday? February 7, 2019 Should schools start later to help teenagers be more productive, as MPs will debate on Monday? Will Williams, wellbeing adviser to the OECD, says YES. We must take steps to reverse the sharp decline of our children’s mental wellbeing, and starting the school day later would be a brilliant start. Teenagers should be afforded the opportunity [...]
Millennium Bug lessons: Stop Brexit stockpiling February 7, 2019 UK manufacturers are stockpiling raw materials at the highest rate since figures were first collected 27 years ago. While it might look like a sensible response to uncertainty, this kind of Brexit anxiety will have long-term implications for supply chains and for the UK economy as a whole, regardless of what happens in the negotiations. “Demand [...]
No, Nissan’s move is not proof that Brexit will be a disaster February 7, 2019 I should have known better. In my last column, I tempted fate and wrote about the good economic news which the UK continued to experience, wondering out loud if Brexit could bring any bad news. Then it happened with one word: “Nissan”. No sooner had it been announced that production of the Nissan X-Trail would not, [...]
Chris Tremlett: England can’t hide behind the excuse their batsmen are naturally aggressive – they need to learn to adapt February 6, 2019 England have been hugely disappointing against West Indies. Having arrived full of confidence they begin the final Test this weekend with the aim of simply trying to salvage something. After such a poor opening Test in Barbados they were once again out-played and out-thought in every department in Antigua to surrender the series 2-0. Credit [...]
Big business needs to step up and take the reins of leadership from the politicians February 6, 2019 I wanna be the leader I wanna be the leader Can I be the leader? Can I? I can? Promise? Promise? Yippee I’m the leader I’m the leader OK what shall we do? Roger McGough did not know how prescient his poem was. The days of Churchill, Thatcher and Mandela are gone. Whether you agreed [...]