We have paved the way for the next financial crisis December 6, 2018 Optimists believe that the last decade of roiling financial crisis and austerity is behind us, and that current fears of trade war, Brexit, populism, and market crashes are overblown. They hope for a global economy poised for many years of growth, increasing personal wealth and prosperity, and political stability. Sadly, hope is never a strategy. Realists, [...]
Tech giants criticised for lack of transparency over political lobbying November 26, 2018 Tech behemoths Amazon, Facebook and Google are among the worst companies for failing to offer transparency over their political lobbying efforts, according to Transparency International UK. The organisation's report into corporate political engagement, published today, included assessments of UK companies’ political contributions and lobbying, as well as the so-called revolving door between corporations and politics. Transparency [...]
This Thanksgiving, be grateful for the political freedom to campaign November 21, 2018 Tomorrow is the fourth Thursday in November, so Americans, in the US and across the world, will be celebrating Thanksgiving. Whenever I have been invited to Thanksgiving dinners, one of my favourite traditions is when everyone sitting around the table mentions something which they are grateful for in their lives. People often mention something personal [...]
It’s not just parliament facing a Brexit showdown: Brussels also has a big dilemma on its hands November 16, 2018 Two months is an exceedingly long time when it comes to Brexit. But try, if you will, to cast your minds back to September and the run up to the Conservative party conference. On more than one occasion EU leaders suddenly and unexpectedly changed tone and delivered Prime Minister Theresa May a vote of confidence. [...]
Britain’s economic growth is being stifled by visa red tape November 7, 2018 Political momentum is building to take a fresh look at visa restrictions on international recruitment of skilled people. The most media coverage has rightly been given to the refusal of 1,500 doctors, which the NHS desperately needs. But the government’s strict attitude to migration is causing problems across business professions and public services. The [...]
Former Cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood dies of cancer aged 56 November 4, 2018 Former Cabinet secretary and head of the civil service Sir Jeremy Heywood has died of cancer, aged 56. Heywood, who served in Downing Street under Labour Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and Tory leaders David Cameron and Theresa May, retired from the civil service on 24 October to focus on his cancer treatment. Downing Street confirmed [...]
Mark Kleinman: Financial Reporting Council must offer clarity on Haddrill’s future November 2, 2018 The 900 UK partners at PwC were unable to deduce much from a voicemail left for them this week by their boss, Kevin Ellis, about its plans for the future of the UK audit market. His message was “very top-level”, according to one person who heard it: the details of its blueprint, submitted to the [...]
Sorry Angela Merkel, it’s not that easy to choreograph your own legacy November 1, 2018 There definitely comes a time where a fresh pair of eyes and fresh leadership would be good.” Those are the wise words of David Cameron, when asked whether he’d be running for a third term as Prime Minister just before the 2015 election. Now into her fourth term as German Chancellor, it has taken Angela [...]
Who the heck is Nick Clegg? Seven facts about Facebook’s new spin chief October 20, 2018 Facebook’s decision to hire the UK’s former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg as its communications chief was one that seemed to come out of left field. Clegg had previously held a prominent role in British public life as head of the UK’s third party the Liberal Democrats between 2007 and 2015 and the UK’s deputy prime minister between [...]
Tips for Theresa May: Speak up, don’t cough, and try to keep the writing on the wall September 28, 2018 It says something about how low the bar has dropped for your speech if your primary aim is to ensure that the letters on the sign behind the stage don’t start falling to the floor as you talk about building a strong economy. Factor in a robust set, some industrial-strength cough sweets, and make sure [...]