Labour’s EU contortions miss the point: It’s the world’s sick man not socialism’s saviour September 20, 2015 Let the gormlessness begin. After horrifying his own party – and the rest of the country besides – over his utterly moronic refusal to sing the national anthem at the Battle of Britain memorial ceremony (of all the things I thought everyone might agree on, brave resistance to Hitler would be it), new Labour leader [...]
China may have stumbled – but the UK still has much to gain from closer links September 20, 2015 Next month, there is an immensely important event on the diplomatic calendar. The Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay us a state visit and, as a result, the eyes of over 1bn people will be on us. I for one relish the prospect – it’s an opportunity for the City to pull out all [...]
The Thames is both an asset and a liability – due to the lack of East London road crossings September 20, 2015 After decades of post-war decline, the Thames has undergone a renaissance and is once again at the economic heart of London. However, if it is one of the capital’s greatest assets, it is also one of its greatest liabilities – because of the inability to get across the Thames by road in most of [...]
Punitive tax hikes jeopardise UK banks’ competitiveness September 20, 2015 Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States, wisely noted that only two things are certain in life: death and taxes. Unfortunately, his observation – or at least half of it – no longer holds true today. When it comes to banking, uncertainty on tax has become a serious concern. [...]
As it decides to leave interest rates on hold this month, will the Federal Reserve hike at all this year? September 20, 2015 Dario Perkins, chief European economist at Lombard Street Research, says Yes. Janet Yellen is signalling that the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) is now close to raising interest rates and probably would have done so last week had it not been for jittery markets and widespread speculation about a global economic slowdown. I suspect she [...]
The Rosebery founder Simon Davis on scrapheaps, sewing, MOTs and Angelina Jolie September 20, 2015 Did you know that Jeff Bezos used to photograph everyone he met so he wouldn't forget who they were? Neither did I, but when Simon Davis interviewed him, Amazon was still a startup – and it's just one of several gems Davis, founder of the London Restaurant Festival (LRF), The Rosebery and former journalist, wheels [...]
UK house prices: The bespoke mortgage challenge for entrepreneurs when buying a house – Investec Comment September 20, 2015 Buying a house can be tricky at the best of times, but if you own your own business, are self-employed, or work in private equity, the process can be more difficult still. Why? The first stumbling block is income. Some lenders' application processes may be fairly black and white: you either meet the criteria [...]
O2 pins hopes on England Rugby World Cup 2015 win: CEO Ronan Dunne on playing the long game September 20, 2015 If you were compiling a list of the most successful sponsorship partnerships in sport over the past 20 years, the one between O2 and England Rugby would have to be very near the top. Timing is everything of course, but when Cellnet, O2’s previous incarnation, decided to get involved in rugby union in 1995, [...]
An enduring bond September 20, 2015 Aston Martin’s Simon Sproule talks balancing growth and exclusivity THE UK has long distinguished itself as a leader in luxury goods. Increasing wealth in the Gulf states and the Far East has opened up opportunities in new markets for high-end brands with a heritage. But when exclusivity is so important to a brand’s appeal, pursuing [...]
How to run a company with your other half: No business in the bedroom and remember that they can’t mind-read September 20, 2015 Entrepreneurial Britain has seen a boom in family firms over recent years, with a fair share being husband and wife duos. For some, the decision to go into business with a spouse is a logical one. For others, it’s a recipe for disaster. So how do you survive managing a business with your significant other? [...]
