Sadiq Khan moots City Hall move to save £55m June 24, 2020 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has proposed moving the headquarters of the Greater London Assembly from City Hall in a bid to save £55m in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis. Khan today announced a consultation on plans to move from the Norman Foster-designed building near Tower Bridge to the Crystal Building in the Royal Docks. [...]
Coronavirus: Government urged to prepare for UK second wave June 24, 2020 The UK’s health experts have called for an urgent review to prepare the public for a second wave of coronavirus infections. Health leaders have pressed the government to take quick action to prevent more coronavirus deaths and to protect the economy in the event of a second wave in winter across the UK. The open [...]
The City goes al fresco: Pavement space could be reallocated for cafes in Square Mile June 23, 2020 The Square Mile’s restaurants and cafes could be given a new lease of life with al fresco dining, under new plans being drawn up by the City of London Corporation. The CLC has announced that it will look into reallocating street space to restaurants as part of its plan to help them reopen safely after [...]
The risks are elevated, but investors have faith UK financial services can weather the storm June 23, 2020 The mood music in Brussels has changed over the last few weeks — and the financial services sector is back in the spotlight. In recent negotiations, the EU explicitly challenged the notion that Britain will be able to “cherry-pick” the benefits of the Single Market and retain its strategic position in financial services post-Brexit. With [...]
Khan calls for London furlough extension as he warns of ‘looming unemployment crisis’ June 23, 2020 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has urged the chancellor to extend the furlough scheme in London’s most deprived areas, as he warned of a “looming unemployment crisis” in the UK. Khan today called on Rishi Sunak to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme beyond the end of the lockdown to avoid a sudden surge in [...]
There is a moral, social and business case for a diverse and inclusive Square Mile June 22, 2020 The senseless and shocking death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that have followed in the US and the UK have highlighted again the racism that sadly still exists in society. This is a difficult, complex, and emotional issue for all of us, and one that has also rightly caused much concern [...]
UK coronavirus death toll rises by 173 to 42,461 June 19, 2020 The death toll from confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK rose by 173 to 42,461, health officials said on Friday. reproduction number for England fell to 0.7-0.9, bringing it into line with the rest of the UK, the government said on Friday, as it also published details of how quickly the disease was shrinking [...]
Sadiq Khan urges PM to make face masks compulsory in shops as well as public transport June 18, 2020 Sadiq Khan has urged the government to force people to wear face masks in shops and other confined public spaces. The mayor of London wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson this morning, calling for an extension to the rule which requires people to wear face masks on public transport. He said: “With lockdown easing, it’s [...]
Exclusive: Westminster denies firms business rates relief for empty offices during lockdown June 17, 2020 Central London companies whose staff abandoned offices to work remotely during the coronavirus lockdown have been refused business rates relief, City A.M. can reveal. Westminster City Council has refused to grant the relief to office-based businesses such as accountants, law firms, and consultancies despite their workspaces remaining empty over the period. The move has sparked [...]
There can be no route back to normality for ableist commuter culture June 17, 2020 “Do not expect to return to the transport network you were used to.” We’re all used to hearing that there will be no return to “normal” life any time soon. So it’s no surprise that Transport for London (TfL) has broadcast the same message about our commutes as some tentatively plan to return to the [...]