Direct Line improves dividend despite profit drop August 4, 2020 Direct Line suffered a 10 per cent profit drop amid the first half of 2020 due to bad weather, but the insurer said coronavirus’ impact was “broadly neutral” across its divisions. The figures Profit before tax fell by £24.9m, or 9.5 per cent, year on year to £236.4m owing chiefly to £30.4m of bad weather [...]
Covid-19 shone a spotlight on hidden abuse — now we cannot afford to stop fighting August 4, 2020 The Covid-19 crisis has thrown the issue of domestic abuse into sharp focus. The sudden shift to working from home as offices closed meant that many victims were unable to access what is often their only safe space: the workplace. With those at risk suddenly forced to remain at home with their abusers during lockdown, [...]
DEBATE: Is the Eat Out To Help Out scheme the solution our struggling restaurant sector needs? August 4, 2020 Is the Eat Out To Help Out scheme the solution our struggling restaurant sector needs? Benedict Spence, a freelance writer and avid gourmand, says YES. It seems fitting that a government led by a man so perplexingly successful in the bedroom would launch a national recovery initiative with a name carrying such potential for smut. [...]
Britain cannot stand by in the face of shocking human right abuses across Hong Kong August 4, 2020 On 9 March, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hong Kong, of which I am a vice chair, launched an inquiry into human rights abuses perpetrated by the Hong Kong Police Force against medical and humanitarian workers during the 2019 protests. One thousand submissions later, we are ready to publish our findings. Our report, published [...]
Mushrooms could be a magic cure for depression, if our draconian drug regulations weren’t stuck in the past August 4, 2020 It should come as no surprise that months of lockdown and social isolation has impacted our mental health. Medical professionals are predicting a “tsunami” of mental illnesses relating Covid-19, while earlier this month, The Lancet published a study showing that young people and women’s mental health has been hit particularly hard during the pandemic. What’s [...]
Three-quarters of London firms welcome staff back to offices August 4, 2020 London firms are starting to bring their staff back to the workplace after more than four months of remote working due to the pandemic. A survey of 100 business leaders conducted by London First reveals a phased return of staff is underway for three quarters of London firms. The survey, which was carried out last [...]
The City View: Glass half full? Emma McClarkin on the future of British pubs August 4, 2020 Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS In this episode Christian is joined by the chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, Emma McClarkin, who represents over 20,000 pubs and whose members are responsible for 90 per cent of the beer brewed in the UK. Emma describes how pubs and brewers have responded to [...]
Fuel prices rise for second consecutive month as oil price steadies August 4, 2020 The average price of petrol and diesel rose for the second consecutive month in July, adding nearly £2 to a fill up, according to RAC Fuel Watch data. The second consecutive month of price rises means unleaded is now 7p a litre more expensive than it was at the end of May, while diesel is [...]
United Oil and Gas takes over Jamaica field from Tullow August 3, 2020 United Oil and Gas has taken over the running of Jamaica’s Walton Morant oil field from fellow explorer Tullow Oil, it was announced today. This morning, the firm announced that the Jamaican government had given it permission to take forward the reserve on a 100 per cent basis. The deal will give United 18 months [...]
Business travel firms call for government help to avoid 10,000 job cuts August 3, 2020 The UK’s business travel sector has called on the government to provide it with an emergency rescue package to help prevent up to 10,000 jobs being lost this year. The chief executive of industry body the Business Travel Association (BTA) has written to chancellor Rishi Sunak, transport secretary Grant Shapps and business secretary Alok Sharma [...]
