It’s time for aspiration and ability – not birth and background – to dictate progress July 8, 2019 In the UK, our sense of fair play is a source of national pride. We like to think that if you study hard at school and work hard in employment, opportunities are there for the taking. We are, however, increasingly finding evidence to the contrary. Throughout the country, we see those at the top being [...]
Dagenham Dock could be the perfect new home for the City’s historic food markets June 24, 2019 Since the Middle Ages, three iconic wholesale food markets have served Londoners with a range of fresh produce, even as the capital’s population and culinary tastes have changed beyond all recognition. Individuals and businesses continue to purchase meat, fish, fruit and vegetables at Smithfield, Billingsgate, and New Spitalfields markets to this day. The City of [...]
By working together, we can clean up London’s air quality and stop pollution June 10, 2019 With state visits and political leadership battles dominating the news, it’s unsurprising that the environment – particularly air quality – isn’t at the top of the agenda. But Londoners are determined to see a major clean-up of the capital’s air, and we can’t afford to take our foot off the pedal. Much of central London [...]
Walking the walk: The City is on a journey to revolutionise transport in the capital May 20, 2019 For Londoners, complaining about public transport is as commonplace as complaining about the weather. The City of London is the most accessible part of the capital, served by 15 Tube stations, seven Tube lines, eight mainline stations, multiple bus routes, and a fast-evolving bicycle network, but with a working population of 513,000 and home to [...]
Financial stability should not be used as a bargaining tool for Brexit October 22, 2018 Deal or no deal? Last week’s European Union summit in Brussels had long been billed as a crunch moment for answering this key question and determining the future direction of the Brexit negotiations. As the dust settles, however, it remains unclear whether the UK will be able to strike a deal with the EU27, meaning [...]
Both sides would lose out from a no-deal Brexit October 8, 2018 As MPs return to the House of Commons this week, a plethora of pressing issues will have built up during party conference season. One topic, of course, that will inevitably continue to dominate the political landscape over the coming weeks and months is Brexit. Negotiations are entering a critical phase, with less than six months [...]
The art of inclusivity: Any path to a fairer economy should have culture at its heart September 24, 2018 Culture and commerce have thrived alongside one another in the Square Mile for centuries, arguably since it was a bustling Roman port and commercial centre. Today, the City of London is home to a number of world-leading cultural institutions, with an enviable reputation for artistic excellence and innovation. You may be surprised to learn [...]
The City has come a long way since the crash, but we can’t afford to be complacent September 10, 2018 This week marks the tenth anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers – a shock that reverberated around the global financial system, and which will be seared in the memories of many workers across the City. Substantial progress has been made to raise standards across the sector, eradicating the unacceptable practices that led to the [...]
The impact of a no-deal Brexit should set off alarm bells for the City’s finance firms August 28, 2018 Last week, the government produced papers assessing the impact of a no-deal Brexit scenario on various sectors, including financial services. It is concerning for the sector that a no-deal scenario is looking increasingly likely. The Bank of England governor Mark Carney ranks this possibility as “uncomfortably high”, while foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt suggested that there [...]
China is relaxing foreign ownership caps, and London must grasp the opportunity June 18, 2018 I write today’s article in a tall building overlooking the so-called “Paris of the East”, better known as the city of Shanghai. From here, you can see the old and new – the remnants of Shanghai’s old financial centre along the Bund, and the mind-boggling array of skyscrapers which have flown up on the other [...]
