No longer Biden his time: Joe Biden delivers Super Tuesday sweep March 4, 2020 Joe Biden emerged from the shadows to win the votes of nine states in the race to become the Democrats’ US presidential candidate on Super Tuesday. The former vice-president’s campaign was in the doldrums just last week, but he posted victories in Minnesota, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia, Arkansas and Oklahoma last night. Wins in [...]
From Yes We Can to Feel The Bern — American politics is a masterclass in messaging March 4, 2020 US politics is a fascinating watch, especially if you’re interested in branding, communications, and the successes and failures of connecting with audiences. And for those that follow it through this lens, right now is prime-time viewing. As Democrats vote on their candidate to take on Donald Trump in November, the political battlegrounds in the US [...]
Sadiq Khan’s rent control pledge is a minefield of unintended consequences March 4, 2020 There is no denying that London faces a housing crisis. Similarly, there is no denying that many people feel that their rents take too high a proportion of their income. If you are Sadiq Khan, the solution is obvious: if people object to high rents, the state should cap them — problem solved. It is [...]
Priti Patel vs. Philip Rutnam: It’s in Britain’s interest that bureaucracy does not win March 4, 2020 The reverberations around the resignation of Sir Philip Rutnam, the top civil servant at the Home Office, continue. Priti Patel, the home secretary, is receiving a barrage of abuse. Labour’s John McDonnell has pronounced that he cannot see how Patel could carry on. He raised the possibility that she might be in some way “suspended”. [...]
Whitehall needs ‘delivery revolution’ to avoid wasting £10bn March 4, 2020 The government will waste £10bn in its attempts to “level up” the country’s infrastructure unless it reforms project delivery, according to a leading London think tank. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce the wave of new projects in next week’s budget to fulfil the Tories’ election promise to spend £100bn on infrastructure. However, a [...]
MPs urge Johnson to ditch Huawei deal March 4, 2020 MPs will today urge the government to drop Huawei’s involvement with the UK’s 5G network, amid growing concerns surrounding the Chinese firm. A cross-party group of around 40 MPs will today call on the Prime Minister to pedal back on his controversial decision to grant the Chinese state-subsidised firm permission to supply equipment to more [...]
The sharing economy is about building a sustainable future March 3, 2020 For those unaware of what the sharing economy is, just look to your phone. Whether it’s renting someone else’s home for a holiday, borrowing a designer dress, or sharing a car with strangers, peer-to-peer platforms are allowing us to trade our spaces, skills and stuff, all at the click of a button. Right now, 5.3m [...]
Want to help Australia after the bushfires? March 3, 2020 | City Talk New extended working holiday visas for visitors to help with the recovery from the Australian bushfires If you’ve been shocked by the extensive devastation in Australia following the bushfires, you may be thinking about how you can help. When it seems like the rain will never stop in the UK, some time out travelling Australia [...]
Coronavirus: Sadiq Khan says Tube travel ban very unlikely March 3, 2020 Londoners are unlikely to be advised to stop using the Tube during the coronavirus outbreak, according to Sadiq Khan. Speaking after the launch of his re-election campaign today, the mayor of London said he does not believe it will be necessary to ban public gatherings or tell people to stay away from public transport. Khan [...]
UK coronavirus battle plan: Businesses warned that a fifth of workforce could be absent March 3, 2020 Up to a fifth of the UK’s workforce could be made absent by coronavirus during its peak weeks, the government warned as part of its action plan published today. Downing Street is bracing itself for a reasonable worst-case scenario, warning that it is “more likely than not that the UK will be significantly affected”. Up [...]