Ollie Phillips: Rugby in 2020 had fairytale triumphs and falls from grace, but it could all be derailed in 2021 December 23, 2020 Rugby in 2020 has been a mixed bag, with both fairytale triumphs and causes for real alarm. The club game delivered gripping storylines in the rise of Exeter from second-tier to European champions and the demise of Saracens. International rugby has suffered, though, and questions about concussion and dementia leave the sport in a vulnerable [...]
Furlough extensions keeps redundancy rise to lowest since March December 23, 2020 The extension of the furlough scheme until the end of April 2021 appears to have slowed the rate of redundancies across the UK. New figures from the Insolvency Service show 36,700 redundancies were proposed in November, the lowest monthly figure since lockdown restrictions were introduced in March. The November total is around a fifth of [...]
When it comes to China, Europe is no longer America’s sidekick December 23, 2020 The largely unnoticed downgrading of US-EU ties is so important. Taken entirely for granted by a Trump administration uninterested in the high art of alliance management, when the US sheriff sets out to corral new rival China, it will do so without Europe unambiguously coming along as part of the posse. A recent series of [...]
Will take ‘days’ to clear Dover chaos, says minister December 23, 2020 It will “take a few days” to clear the lorry queues at Dover, according to housing Secretary Robert Jenrick. Last night transport Secretary Grant Shapps said an “agreement” had been reached with the French Government on travel across the Channel after around 3,000 lorries have backed up at Dover in the last 48 hours. The [...]
Trump brands stimulus deal a disgrace as months of work hang in balance December 23, 2020 US President Donald Trump threw a sizable spanner into the works of a $900bn stimulus deal last night, branding it a disgrace and threatening to veto the whole accord. Amongst the outgoing President’s complaints were that the stimulus bill was part of a package to keep Government funded until Septemver, including arts institutions and the [...]
Christmas plans could change last minute in light of mutant virus, says minister December 23, 2020 Christmas plans across the country could be changed last minute if the government feels it is appropriate to do so, with less than 48 hours to go before Christmas Day. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick this morning said restrictions could change ahead of Christmas in light of the spread of a new, more infectious variant of [...]
Coronavirus drives down London vacancies a third in 2020 December 23, 2020 The number of jobs up for grabs in the capital has declined by nearly a third (32%) this year as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. In the UK on average hiring has dropped by more than a fifth (22%) this year, with the hospitality sector hit particularly hard. In hospitality the number of vacancies [...]
The travel industry has been abandoned by this government December 23, 2020 The tourism and outbound travel industries are certainly no strangers to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Across the globe, international and domestic travel has been brought to its knees by the far-reaching impacts of coronavirus, and the ramifications are no clearer than in the United Kingdom. In the last few months alone, we have [...]
CBD revolution: A Covid-proof industry seek the green light December 23, 2020 Even the most prosperous companies have had their work cut out for them this year, as the pandemic hit the global economy, spurring volatility on an unimaginable scale. Yet, in the often-paradoxical world of business, some industries have emerged from the crisis in a favourable position. And it looks like cannabis is among them. 2020 [...]
Another month of decline for UK car production as industry calls for Brexit deal December 23, 2020 UK car production fell again last month as the industry urged Brexit negotiators to “seal the deal”. New figures from industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), factories produced just 106,243 vehicles, last month. It represents a 1.4 per cent drop year-on-year – a better performance than other months this year – [...]
