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, [...]
Trump says China has agreed to cut tariffs on US cars as trade thaw continues December 3, 2018 US President Donald Trump said early this morning that China has agreed to lift its tariffs on US cars. Trump tweeted: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1069441198157455360 Trump said current Chinese tariffs on US cars were 40 per cent, but he did not say how much he expected them to fall. There has been no confirmation from China at this [...]
Macron feels the heat as protests ramp up December 2, 2018 When Emmanuel Macron landed in Paris after the G20 summit in Argentina his motorcade delivered him straight to the Arc de Triomphe, where he was confronted with a vivid depiction of the anger felt by many of his citizens – and of his own place in this crisis. One of the country's most famous monuments [...]