Burns Night is here again: Here’s what to drink and where to go January 25, 2022 Today is Burns Night, the annual celebration of Scotland’s national poet, and semi-official “St Patrick’s Day” for lovers of Scotch. Plan B restrictions may have derailed large-scale Burns Suppers and ceilidhs, but there’s no reason you can’t stay home, put on a Gay Gordons LP, whip up some haggis, neeps, and tatties, and toast the immortal memory of Robert Burns with [...]
Treasury minister quits over government’s ‘lamentable’ Covid fraud record January 24, 2022 A Treasury minister resigned today over the government’s “lamentable” record on Covid fraud, after billions were stolen from Covid support schemes. Lord Theodore Agnew – previously responsible for government efficiency – said oversight of the Covid loan schemes by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis) and the British Business Bank had been [...]
Furlough fraud exposes the shortcomings of doling out endless amounts of cash January 20, 2022 Outrage has erupted over the news that £5.8bn has been “criminally siphoned off” the emergency Covid-19 schemes that propped up millions of workers and paid for us to eat on the cheap. The very same folk who complained ministers weren’t acting fast enough to provide support, rejecting warnings that furlough was excessively generous, are now [...]
Climate change personal responsibility is a myth to excuse the world’s emitters January 19, 2022 Consumers do have power in their pockets when it comes to tackling climate change. The meteoric rise of ESG in the financial services industry, for instance, has been driven by consumer demand. Equally, in the retail sector the term “sustainable” has become a benchmark for any quality clothing brand as a result of customers wanting [...]
Labour calls on Treasury to do more to recover £5.8bn lost in Covid fraud January 18, 2022 Labour has called on the government to launch an investigation into how £5.8bn was stolen by fraudsters through Covid support schemes and for the Treasury do more to recover these funds. Shadow chief secretary the Treasury Pat McFadden told MPs that the government’s target of recovering a quarter of the stolen founds was tantamount to [...]
Not so green after all: Hardly any Brit plans to stick to climate goals in 2022 January 17, 2022 Less than one in ten people in the UK are likely to keep resolutions around making positive climate decisions in 2022, according to new research shared with City A.M. today. Even fewer consumers said they are aspiring to live more sustainably this year, favouring resolutions around becoming healthier and fitter instead, according to the founder [...]
One in four people working from home will not turn heating on this winter amid rising energy costs January 14, 2022 Nearly a quarter of people working from home will not turn the heating on due to energy price concerns, says Electric Radiators Direct.
Shots for Covid-19 shots? It’s time to dangle carrots to tempt the unvaccinated January 14, 2022 Yesterday, self-isolation rules for those with Covid-19 were cut to five days. This marks a milestone as the UK plots its way out of a gamble of a winter strategy to keep the virus at bay. The enduring problem, however, is the number of unvaccinated people in the UK filling up hospital beds. The risk [...]
Ovo Energy reveals redundancy plans to staff following reports of mass job cuts January 13, 2022 Ovo Energy has now told staff it will cut a quarter of its workforce and axe 1,700 employees, according to BBC News.
IFS: Poorest Brits to shoulder worst cost of living shock January 12, 2022 The poorest households in the UK are set to shoulder a harder hit from the cost of living crisis, reveals new analysis released yesterday. The rising cost of energy will erode a greater proportion of poorer households’ income compared to wealthier Brits, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). Less wealthy Brits tend to [...]