The world needs business to step up and reclaim its higher purpose January 8, 2020 Should a company’s responsibility begin and end with shareholders, or extend to customers, communities, and the environment? While hardly an original question, last year saw a renewed focus on debate around the purpose of business — and with sustainability already in the January headlines, from fires in Australia to new figures on climate change, expect [...]
Qassem Soleimani’s death is the UK’s first test of post-Brexit foreign policy January 8, 2020 It would be safe to say that the last thing our new government expected at the start of 2020 — flush with enthusiasm for its domestic agenda — was a foreign policy crisis, much less so one sprung upon it by the reaction of the mercurial Trump administration. But in truth, the drone strike on [...]
Boris Johnson to tell Von Der Leyen trade deal must be done without extension January 7, 2020 Boris Johnson will tell the new European Commission president that a post-Brexit trade deal must be concluded before the end of December 2020, refusing to consider any extension. The Prime Minister is hosting Ursula Von Der Leyen in Downing Street this afternoon, in the pair’s first meeting since she took the reins from Jean-Claude Juncker. [...]
Exclusive: City of London councillors call for associate guild to admit female members January 7, 2020 One of the City’s ancient trade guilds that does not accept female members is “tainting” the City of London, according to a group of councillors. The City of London Corporation has 110 associated Livery companies, which were traditionally trade associations and guilds for different crafts. Read more: Exclusive: City of London mulls over historic Lord Mayor selection reform The groups [...]
Minister refuses to confirm election pledge for temporary Hammersmith Bridge January 7, 2020 A transport minister has failed to stand by an election pledge by a fellow minister to build a temporary Hammersmith Bridge. In December, transport minister George Freeman joined environment minister Zac Goldsmith in a Twitter video to confirm that the government wanted to build the temporary river crossing alongside Hammersmith Bridge. Read more: Conservatives pledge [...]
Government to review rollout of controversial IR35 tax reforms January 7, 2020 The government said today it will review the rollout of controversial tax plan IR35 which is due to take effect in April 2020. IR35, which aims to prevent workers from disguising themselves as freelance contractors as a way to pay less tax, is being extended in April. Under the changes private sector employers will be [...]
Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill returns to House of Commons January 7, 2020 Boris Johnson’s EU withdrawal bill agreement will return to parliament today for the first of three days of scrutiny from MPs. The Brexit bill has a tight timetable of just three days of debate, before it looks to be pushed through in time for the UK to leave the EU on 31 January. Read more: [...]
Rebecca Long Bailey pledges to ‘fight the establishment tooth and nail’ in Labour leadership bid January 7, 2020 Rebecca Long Bailey has pledged to “fight the establishment tooth and nail” as she announced her bid for the Labour leadership this morning. The shadow business secretary had been widely expected to run, and she is viewed as a continuity candidate with close links to Jeremy Corbyn. Long Bailey joins five other candidates including shadow [...]
Want to improve the civil service? Get rid of poor performers and hire some fresh talent January 7, 2020 Dominic Cummings has, once again, taken aim at the establishment — this time the civil service. In an unorthodox job advert last week, he declared his intentions to hire “an unusual set of people” to revolutionise government. Predictably, retired grandees of the profession are up in arms. Whenever anyone calls for Whitehall reform — and [...]
Five political risk predictions for a new era January 7, 2020 As Jules Verne’s unmatchable adventure Around the World in Eighty Days so eloquently put it: “Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real.” Fresh off my firm’s victorious analysis of both Brexit and the outcome of December’s British General Election, we sincerely hope that the new year continues to affirm for us Verne’s [...]