There’s only one use for the Brexit extension: a General Election April 15, 2019 French President Emmanuel Macron did not cover himself in glory at the latest European Council summit. But he was right to keep asking the same question: what is the Article 50 extension for? There are various ways in which the UK can use the extension: keep trying to get an agreement (any agreement) through parliament; [...]
London’s tech sector can’t keep leaving our young people behind April 15, 2019 The UK’s tech sector is growing three times faster than the rest of the economy. Currently, London is broadly considered to be the world’s third largest startup ecosystem, with the mythical centre of the capital’s tech community being Old Street and Shoreditch, in east London. However, herein lies the problem – and it’s an embarrassing one. [...]
DEBATE: With annual house prices falling in England for the first time since 2012, should we be concerned? April 15, 2019 With annual house prices falling in England for the first time since 2012, should we be concerned? Matt Robinson, chief executive of data-driven estate agent Nested, says YES. There are absolutely people who should be concerned by falling property prices. With inadequate historical pension coverage, an increasing number of those approaching retirement are reliant on their [...]
It’s time to write the next chapter in the City’s story of technological innovation April 15, 2019 When I travel across the globe, there is an issue I get asked about time and time again: what is it about London that makes it such a successful global financial hub? And what is it about the UK that makes us stand out from the crowd? A key part of the answer is innovation. [...]
What’s next for Europe’s capital markets? April 15, 2019 There are big questions on the horizon about the next steps for Europe’s financial sector. This topic was at the top of the agenda recently when I was in Romania for the Eurofi regular gathering of European finance ministers, financial services policy makers and industry representatives. As the current EU legislative cycle winds down before [...]
China’s mobile brands have global ambitions – this will have a big impact on the digital marketing ecosystem April 12, 2019 With the world’s online mobile population growing day by day, and a home market dominated by giants such as Tencent, Baidu, and Alibaba, Chinese app developers are increasingly looking to market their apps abroad. I have seen first-hand this shift from a focus on the domestic market to a much more global viewpoint. And I [...]
Don’t be afraid of bad reviews, they are good for business April 12, 2019 It is human nature to find negative feedback uncomfortable. It’s the same whether it’s personal – such as memories from that mean teacher, or having to face that critical relative at a family gathering – or in business, when a boss doesn’t rate something that you believe in, or having to go through the dreaded [...]
DEBATE: Should individuals be held accountable for the failure of the Garden Bridge project? April 12, 2019 Should individuals be held accountable for the failure of the Garden Bridge project? Caroline Pidgeon, chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, says YES. When £53.5m is spent on a project, including £43m from the public’s pocket, and there is literally nothing to show for it, some very fundamental questions have to be answered. I fundamentally [...]
Liz Truss is right to hit the brakes – HS2 would put us all on the train to nowhere April 12, 2019 The bogeyman of politics may be ousted for good, if the chief secretary to the Treasury has anything to say about it. I’m not referring to our Halloween Brexit, but rather High-Speed 2 – a follow-on from the first high-speed rail project, mapping a fast route from London to Birmingham, with branches to Manchester and Leeds [...]
Could Jacob Rees-Mogg soon be off to 11 Downing Street? April 12, 2019 The Conservative party has a shortage of the political equivalent of rock stars. These are the politicians that the public would not merely recognise (already a rather an elite cohort), but actually might cross the road to ask for an autograph – or, more usually these days, a selfie. Boris Johnson has this star quality, of course. [...]