DEBATE: Is it fair to judge entrepreneurs like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos for their philanthropic efforts? September 18, 2018 Is it fair to judge entrepreneurs like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos for their philanthropic efforts? Sarah Turner, managing director of Carter Wong, says YES. We live in a world where the “haves” and “have nots” grow ever further apart. It’s also a world where big brands are waking up to the power of investing in social good [...]
DEBATE: Is it fair to judge entrepreneurs like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos for their philanthropic efforts? September 18, 2018 Is it fair to judge entrepreneurs like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos for their philanthropic efforts? Sarah Turner, managing director of Carter Wong, says YES. We live in a world where the “haves” and “have nots” grow ever further apart. It’s also a world where big brands are waking up to the power of investing in social good [...]
DEBATE: Would it be beneficial for the UK economy if Mark Carney stayed on as Bank of England governor? September 5, 2018 Would it be beneficial for the UK economy if Mark Carney stayed on as Bank of England governor? Katrina Usita, an economist at OMFIF, says YES. Uncertainty is the UK economy’s greatest problem. Mark Carney’s willingness to extend his term as Bank of England governor for another year assuages some of that, at least in [...]
With Article 50 to be triggered next Wednesday, who is the least prepared for the Brexit process: the UK or the EU? March 20, 2017 Peter Wilding, director at British Influence, says the UK. The UK is going for hard Brexit. The holy grail is taking back full control over borders, laws and money while still getting full access to the Single Market. It thinks that the EU has a weak hand. Greed for access to the British market and [...]
Would an independent Scotland stand a chance of getting European Union membership? March 14, 2017 Dr Alistair Clark, senior lecturer in politics at Newcastle University, says Yes. Nicola Sturgeon has announced the second Scottish independence referendum will be between Autumn 2018 and Spring 2019. The timing is such that Scotland will likely end up outside the EU when the UK leaves. It is very difficult to see Scotland remaining in [...]
Is Nicola Sturgeon’s brinkmanship over a second Scottish independence referendum going to backfire? March 6, 2017 Alex Deane, a City of London common councilman, says Yes. Nicola Sturgeon’s referendum demands remind me of nothing so much as Homer Simpson, accustomed to getting his way by challenging anyone and everyone to a duel. The problem is that eventually someone may call your bluff. When the referendum demands come to a head, either [...]
Is speaker John Bercow an embarrassment to the House of Commons for refusing to allow Trump to address parliamentarians? February 7, 2017 Alex Deane, a City of London common councilman, says Yes. In some ways this question is redundant as John Bercow has been a standing embarrassment to our Parliament since he became speaker, lavishing great chunks of cash on, well, his own comforts immediately after being elected – mostly by mischievous Labour MPs, but without the [...]
There’s no case for cancelling Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain January 30, 2017 Theresa May did not ask for the hand she has been dealt. She did not campaign for Brexit. She had nothing to do with Donald Trump’s election. Nevertheless she must deal with both – and I am proud of the way she is making the most of the situation she’s in, for the good of our [...]
The Supreme Court Article 50 decision should help Brexit rather than hinder it January 24, 2017 As I've said in these pages before, the fact that our Parliament is required to have a debate about Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union before the British government exercises our right under it to begin the process of leaving the EU is not a great surprise; nor do I think that the [...]
Davos 2017: As the great and the good descend on the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, are we seeing the death or the dawn of the global elite? January 16, 2017 Alex Deane, managing director of FTI Consulting and common councilman in the City of London, says "death". It is all too easy to bash the so-called “global elite” and mock their gatherings. Those seeking to do good at Davos are at least trying; if there are real villains, then they’re to be found among those [...]
