Investors inject £3bn into central London offices in third quarter October 4, 2021 Investor interest in central London office buildings has returned with a vengeance, with spend surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Around £1.5bn was spent on City office buildings in the three months to September 30, according to preliminary data from real estate advisors JLL, compiled for the Evening Standard. It comes as office workers have made their return [...]
Global Britain: UK-based HGV driver ads snubbed by EU-applicants October 4, 2021 While the government’s temporary visas for overseas HGV drivers may loosen the choking impacts of the shortage on UK supply chains, there are few truckers coming in from the EU, according to new research. The HGV driver shortage, which triggered both a fuel crisis and pushed a third of mid-size firms to shrink their offering, [...]
Conservative conference: Rishi Sunak declares the ‘future is here’ October 4, 2021 Rishi Sunak has declared the “future is here” in his party conference speech as he vowed to bring the UK’s economy into the 21st century. The chancellor said “I want tax cuts”, but that first “public finances must be put back on a sustainable footing”. It comes after the government recently increased National Insurance Contributions [...]
UK hospitality crisis: 75 per cent of pubs and restaurants are hiking pay to attract new staff October 4, 2021 As a worker shortage continues to hamper the sector’s recovery, three quarters of pub and restaurant bosses say they are increasing pay to attract staff. One in six jobs currently lies vacant, and 96 per cent of business leaders were seeing staffing shortages for some roles, according to a survey of 200 senior executives from [...]
Shortages saga: A third of UK mid-size firms forced to slim down offerings October 4, 2021 With the UK’s supply chains riddled with labour shortages and continued Covid-19-related hang-ups, a third of mid-size firms have been forced to reduce their offering. More than 34 per cent of businesses already trimmed their product lines and services by mid-September – before the fuel crisis had gripped the nation, according to accountancy firm BDO. [...]
COP26: All UK electricity to come from renewable sources by 2035 October 4, 2021 All of the UK’s electricity is set to come from renewable sources by 2035, prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce ahead of the country’s hosting of COP26. The push for cleaner energy will see the Conservative party increase investments in renewable and nuclear energy, according to The Times. It comes amid an energy [...]
‘The British renaissance has begun’: Lord Frost to bait EU with triggering Article 16 October 4, 2021 Lord Frost will reportedly hazard to the European Union today that the UK is willing to trigger Article 16 unless the bloc gives the green light to replacing the Northern Ireland Protocol. Proposals have already been drawn up to replace the protocol and the Brexit minister will tell the Tory party conference that the country [...]
Brexit: ‘British renaissance’ has begun as ‘the long, bad EU dream’ is over, Lord Frost to say October 4, 2021 “British Renaissance has begun” as the nation struggles with staffing issues linked to the departure from the European Union, Brexit minister Lord Frost will tell delegates at the Tory party conference later today. The “long bad dream” of EU membership is over, according to Frost, as he challenges Brussels to be more “ambitious” to solve [...]
Editorial: Time for substance not soundbite at Tory conference October 4, 2021 We are, somewhat extraordinarily, about halfway through Boris Johnson’s first term in office. Most Westminster watchers expect an election in 2023 to be at least likely, if not probable. And yet we remain largely unclear about what the administration stands for, and what the PM is trying to achieve with the office that he has [...]
Rishi Sunak to unveil £500m extra funding for Covid jobs programmes October 3, 2021 Rishi Sunak will tomorrow commit to an extra £500m in spending to boost the government’s post-Covid jobs and skills programmes. Sunak will say in his Conservative party conference speech that he will “double down” on his promise to “do whatever it takes” to protect people’s jobs and livelihoods during the pandemic. It comes as the [...]