The case against VC-backed employers February 2, 2017 Silicon Valley has carved an entirely new definition of the word “aspirational”. Notwithstanding that the companies it built are drip-feeding curated images of perfection into our lives, it has also created a paradoxical working culture: a curtain of free artisan lunches and unlimited holiday often drawn across a dark room of tiring and intense R&D. As [...]
Britain can lead the world in free trade – by keeping trade deals simple February 2, 2017 In some ways, the Brexit referendum settled a long-running question. However, it has also raised more profound issues that this government now needs to address. These include the question of whether we should adopt a policy of openness, free trade and liberalisation of regulation at home. And then, should we take the lead in promoting such [...]
As scandal hits the frontrunner for the French presidency Francois Fillon, is this good news for Marine Le Pen? February 2, 2017 Dylan Kissane, a France-based writer and director at The CoSMo Company, says Yes. After five years of mismanagement by Francois Hollande’s Socialist left, the electorate in France is primed for change. Until recently, Francois Fillon seemed to be the natural choice: a known quantity on the centre-right, a devout Catholic, and the man endorsed by [...]
The UK’s SME manufacturers have seen new orders grow as price pressures rise February 2, 2017 Domestic orders grew at the fastest pace in two years to give the UK’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) a welcome boost ahead of Brexit, according to a new survey. Almost a third of SMEs say domestic demand has increased, according to a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The outlook for the [...]
Nimbyism in decline as housing shortage bites February 2, 2017 The construction of new homes is now a top five priority for voters, with increasing numbers of people willing to support housing projects in their local area. A report by the Centre for Policy Studies, a think tank, suggests attitudes to new builds have changed dramatically over the last ten years. Citing a British Social [...]
Third runway set for take off: Government unveils Heathrow expansion national policy statement today February 2, 2017 Transport secretary Chris Grayling will today set out the government’s proposals for Heathrow expansion with a draft national policy statement. It comes after the High Court delayed a legal challenge to the third runway earlier this week. This marks the start of a 16-week national public consultation for the huge infrastructure project, giving people across the UK [...]
This is the type of fraud you should be worried about the most, but there’s another one on the rise February 2, 2017 Identity fraud has taken the questionable crown of the worst type of fraud in the UK today. The list, published today and compiled by Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at University of Portsmouth and Privilege Home Insurance, ranks fraud affecting individuals based on; the percentage of people subject to an attack, the average value of losses, the [...]
A major French Connection investor has sold its entire stake February 1, 2017 French Connection's second-largest shareholder has reportedly sold its entire stake in the company. Shroders, which owned 9.27 per cent of the French clothing retailer, sold its shares at to an unknown buyer at 33p each, the Telegraph reported. The stake sale revived speculations of a takeover of the struggling firm, which has had almost nine [...]
Top business leaders are getting to work on making British industry digital to boost productivity and jobs February 1, 2017 It's full speed ahead for Britain's digital economy as top business leaders embark on ambitious plans to pull industry into the modern age and position itself at the forefront of the fourth industrial revolution. Increasing productivity and creating highly-skilled jobs will be the focus of the ambitious new plan to put digital technology, such as artificial [...]
Facebook’s profit rockets despite a jury ruling against its VR firm Oculus February 1, 2017 Facebook's profits shot sky high in 2016, but a jury decided tonight it will pay $500m for its virtual-reality firm Oculus, which came under fire for breaking a non-disclosure agreement. The figures Facebooks profit rose 177 per cent to $10.2bn (£8.1bn) for the year ended 31 December. Revenue for the fourth quarter was up 51 per cent to $8.8bn, [...]