How the UK can work with Japan to make the world a safer and more stable place December 4, 2018 The language of diplomacy can sometimes be very general. Diplomats and politicians invoke the idea of “partnerships” and “strong bilateral relations” without making clear to their citizens why they matter or what the benefits might be. Talk about trading opportunities gives a sense of something practical emerging from these sorts of relationship, but trade and investment is just [...]
Rigged and ready: After recent gains, are oil prices set to recover? December 4, 2018 The oil market has had a tough time this year, with prices sliding since October. And yet, there’s been a radical turn of events over recent days, with the picture looking drastically different as the markets opened for trading this week. In fact, one of yesterday’s biggest market movements was oil, with brent crude surging [...]
DEBATE: Are we at risk of overreacting to the story of ‘forced hugging’ at Ted Baker? December 4, 2018 Are we at risk of overreacting to the story of ‘forced hugging’ at Ted Baker? Dr Joanna Williams, author of Women vs Feminism: Why We All Need Liberating from the Gender Wars, says YES. Alarming stories of sleazy bosses taking advantage of vulnerable young women can make it seem as if the workplace hasn’t changed since the 1960s. [...]
Theresa May’s deal isn’t ‘Brexit in name only’ – it’s the best way to leave the EU December 4, 2018 Referendums pose a challenge to representative democracies – namely, how does a simple yes-or-no question, like whether to remain in the EU, survive contact with the reality of negotiation, legislation and practical implementation? It is more challenging still when the result was as narrow as the Brexit vote. The answer to reconciling this web of [...]
Voting with your wallet is the ultimate consumer power December 4, 2018 The Labour party leadership believes that income inequality is far too high. As socialists, they think of income as centrally distributed, like slices of cake at a birthday party. Top company executives have seen sharp increases in pay in recent decades, so in Labour’s view, that means less sponge and icing for workers. The cutter [...]
House of Lords slams HMRC over ‘unfair’ tax avoidance crackdown December 4, 2018 Powers given to HMRC to crack down on tax avoidance risk undermining the rule of law and access to justice, a House of Lords report has concluded. The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee has called for a review of the UK tax authority’s powers, which have gradually grown over recent years. Lord Forsyth, the [...]
Theresa May to urge MPs to get on with Brexit amid fiery row over legal advice December 3, 2018 Theresa May will urge MPs to get on with Brexit on Tuesday amid accusations the government is in contempt of Parliament for refusing to publish the full legal advice on her deal. A row broke out in the Commons on Monday on the eve of the debate on the Prime Minister’s EU withdrawal plan, culminating with the government’s [...]
Trade is a long game, so we must look beyond FTAs and make marginal gains December 3, 2018 New York and London frequently vie for the crown when it comes to the title of the world’s leading financial centre. But as well as competing, we share a special relationship. The Big Apple was the first stop on my visit last week to the United States, which came at an opportune moment as the [...]
DEBATE: Do Jerome Powell’s recent comments suggest that Trump is influencing the Fed’s policy? December 3, 2018 Do Jerome Powell’s recent comments suggest that Trump is influencing the Fed’s policy? YES, says Andy Scott, an associate director at JCRA. Since Powell assumed the role from Janet Yellen in February, the US labour market has continued to strengthen, and the economy has grown at the fastest pace in four years. As a result, Powell’s [...]
Heed Hammond’s warning: We must not be prisoners of change December 3, 2018 Britain has become a single issue nation. So all-consuming have the ins and outs of Brexit become that the national debate seems incapable of concentrating on anything else. Which was why it was so surprising when Philip Hammond spoke to a small business audience last week and didn’t drop the B-word once. In so doing, [...]