The Tulip wilts: Skyscraper set for scrap-heap after appeal fails November 11, 2021 Proposals for the proposed Tulip skyscraper in the eastern heart of the City are set to be scrapped after central Government dismissed the planning applications. The Corporation of the City of London had approved the plans in 2019, but they were blocked by Mayor Sadiq Khan’s office, which feared the unique skyscraper would damage the [...]
Letters: Thinking outside the (meta) box November 11, 2021 [Re: Interacting in the metaverse, November 10] Nicola Mendelsohn’s plans to have us all living our lives inside the “metaverse” border on delusional. Sure, Facebook (or Meta), has proved the case for addictive social media. But there’s a growing backlash to this with people paying to go on phone-free retreats. How does making social media [...]
Questions for Barclays board remain even after CEO departure November 1, 2021 The board is disappointed at this outcome,” said Barclays statement to markets yesterday morning. As understatements go, it’s up there with Spike Milligan’s “I told you I was ill” epitaph. That Jes Staley has left the firm is not, necessarily, a surprise. It has been rumoured that he was ready to give up the gig [...]
Faith restored: Gothic-style converted church goes on sale for £2m in Brighton November 1, 2021 City workers hoping to escape the capital can look to Brighton for a ubiquitous converted church. The two bedroom property on Queensbury Mews, in the city’s desirable BN1 postcode, is on sale on RightMove, with a guide price of £2m. Its listing says it combines “the most wonderful mix of both contemporary interior design,” while [...]
Capitalism is doing the heavy-lifting on greening our climate October 31, 2021 As on-the-nose metaphors go, the entirety of Britain’s climate class being unable to get to Glasgow on time because of a tree falling onto the train tracks is right up there. Let us hope it is not an omen for the rest of the Cop-26 conference. Our expectations are, to be frank, low. It is [...]
Letters: Sadiq Khan is right – London deserves better October 22, 2021 [Re: London mayor Sadiq Khan will use Cop26 to vouch for cities like London, October 20] I read with interest the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan will use the upcoming Cop26 summit to vouch for cities like London to have greater powers and funding. This is a welcome step to ensure we make real progress [...]
Taxing times: Sunak to slim down Bank Surcharge October 19, 2021 The additional tax on banks is set to slashed in the Budget, a boost for the capital’s lenders. The Bank Surcharge, an eight per cent top-up to corporation tax levied on banks, will be reduced to three per cent in the upcoming budget according to the Financial Times. The Chancellor has previously signalled that the [...]
A true constituency MP: obituary to Sir David Amess (1952 – 2021) October 15, 2021 Sir David Amess (26 March 1952 – October 15 2021) was one of the longest-serving members of Parliament. He was first elected to represent Basildon in 1983 and then Southend West from 1997 until 2021. Sir David was 69 years-old and is survived by his wife, Julia and his five children. He was born in Essex [...]
Letters: the many trains of Scotland October 13, 2021 [Re: Sturgeon’s dismal domestic record has derailed the SNP’s train of separatism, 8th October] It was an odd choice of metaphor with the “derailed train of separatism” for Nicola Sturgeon. Whatever the Scottish government’s other successes and failures, railways, and especially electrifying the Central Belt, are its crowning triumph. From just one rather indirect route [...]
Letters: No sympathy for Boris or business October 11, 2021 [Re: Business leaders bash Boris, 7th October] I write further to your newspaper’s article regarding the criticism of the Prime Minister’s alleged “economic illiteracy” by various business people, including the Federation of Small Businesses. I suspect that Boris Johnson’s critics will attract little sympathy from the general public This is especially true given that [...]
