UK and the EU have much to gain from closer collaboration on financial services January 18, 2021 Now that the UK and European Union have started a new chapter, the next few months will be critical when it comes to writing the page on future collaboration in financial and professional services. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement finally brokered by UK and EU negotiators before Christmas provided businesses and households both at home and [...]
Next year brings hope, but we’re not out of the woods yet December 21, 2020 As we approach the end of a year most of us would prefer to forget, Londoners have been dealt a fresh blow with news that the capital has been placed under the highest level of coronavirus restrictions. The new Tier 4 rules mean people should only go out for exercise or to travel for work, [...]
A new chapter of UK-EU collaboration — and the City stands ready to help December 7, 2020 After long and tortuous negotiations, the UK and European Union are finally reaching the endgame of the transition period. Whatever the outcome, the current global crisis caused by the pandemic has shone a light on how, even post-Brexit, there will be many areas which will require collaboration on both sides of the Channel. The pandemic has [...]
Time for a new chapter in the City’s special relationship with America November 23, 2020 Over the years, we in the UK have often stressed the “special” nature of our relationship with the US. While this is usually considered in the context of foreign policy, with regards to bilateral financial service trade, it has certainly developed into something truly special — and something we should be grateful for as Thanksgiving [...]
Building back a greener City — and a greener world November 9, 2020 It is essential, even as we readjust to lockdown over the next few weeks, to not lose sight of another of humanity’s great challenges: tackling climate change. As one of the world’s foremost financial centres, London has a huge role to play in supporting the development of a more sustainable global society, and is well-placed [...]
London will find ways to adapt and thrive — as it always has October 26, 2020 Now that London has moved into even tighter local lockdown restrictions, it would be easy to be pessimistic about the future. Some have argued recently that the capital’s days as a world leading business centre are numbered due to the pandemic, our exit from the European Union, and a rising tide of protectionism across the [...]
We do not need to compromise the economy to fix the environment October 12, 2020 Overwhelming scientific evidence tells us that the climate is already changing. If we are to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees and avoid the more extreme effects on our environment, averting potentially devastating consequences, we need to act now. And that is what the City of London Corporation is doing. Last week, it launched its [...]
As well as protecting jobs, the government must enable a safe return to the workplace September 28, 2020 Fittingly, the weather has taken a turn for the worse over the last week just as the economic headwinds facing the UK risk turning into a perfect storm. After many months of lockdown, the number of people returning to their City workplace had visibly started to pick up in recent weeks – particularly as schools [...]
Supporting London businesses with new Covid compliant scheme September 14, 2020 Without a doubt, food and retail premises in central London have suffered hugely during the Covid-19 pandemic. Understandably, customer facing businesses like these have been slower to reopen because of reduced footfall and consumer concerns over coronavirus transmission. But with positive and supportive initiatives, like the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, the capital [...]
Supporting young people’s education will create lasting value for London and the UK August 31, 2020 You’d have to be on a desert island to miss the fact that in recent weeks pupils across the capital have received their A-Level and GCSE exam results. This has been a year like no other. Not only has every school had to adapt and find new ways of working following closures forced by the [...]