I tried Russell Brand’s alcohol free festival – it changed my outlook for good July 20, 2023 “One more time? How about ten more times? Let’s all get high!” declares a sober Russell Brand on the main stage at his Community Festival, conducting a breathing exercise to a crowd of thousands which is so mind-bending that people frequently collapse. Medics are on hand as Brand stands centre stage. Alongside him is the [...]
F1 gets kids makeover with special feed at Hungarian Grand Prix July 20, 2023 F1 will introduce a dedicated international feed aimed at children in partnership with Sky Sports at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. The aim of the feed is to enhance the viewing experience for children. It will see friendly driver radio used alongside 3D graphics and explainers. “We are really excited to share this special edition [...]
UK could pay up to £500m in subsidies to support new Jaguar Land Rover battery plant July 20, 2023 The UK could pay as much as £500m in subsidies to Tata Group to support its £4bn investment in a new battery plant in Somerset that would supply a new range of electric Jaguar and Land Rover models. Tata Group – the Indian conglomerate who own Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) – announced yesterday that it [...]
Andy Silvester on market optimism, US wages and a real-life summer thriller July 20, 2023 Bulls are not regularly seen on the streets of the Square Mile, especially recently. It has been all too easy on my recent travels to find people casting their eyes downward when asked about the City’s prospects, as if the irritatingly grey July skies are dimming optimism before the summer holidays. What’s interesting is that [...]
Buy-now see-you-later? FCA boss slams claims BNPL firms will quit UK due to regulation July 19, 2023 The chief of the City watchdog said he does not “buy the argument” that buy-now pay-later (BNPL) firms will quit the UK today after it emerged ministers may shelve planned rules over fears firms would leave. The government had been pushing ahead with plans to bring BNPL products offered by firms like Klarna and Clearpay [...]
Sam Torrance’s 2023 Open preview: Cream should rise to top at classy Royal Liverpool July 19, 2023 Narrow fairways, thick rough and small greens should favour good iron play at the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool this week, writes Sam Torrance. When you consider how well he has played in much of that time, it really is unbelievable that Rory McIlroy hasn’t won a major for nine years. Since 2014 he has [...]
The Notebook: Neil Bennett on leaky deals, an archaic City ritual and a podcast with a point July 19, 2023 In his latest column for City A.M., the former journalist and now global co-CEO of advisory and communications firm H/Advisors gives his take on the Square Mile’s latest Deal leaks are part of the City’s plumbing A few days ago my firm, H/Advisors, published a survey about leaks, the financial information kind rather than plumbing [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown chair set to step down after run-ins with founder July 18, 2023 The chair of retail investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown is set to step down after a bruising series of run-ins with the firm’s founder. In a statement yesterday, the Bristol-based DIY investing outfit said last night that it had begun scouting out “successor chair candidates” for Deanna Oppenheimer, who has overseen the firm since 2018. News [...]
The Notebook: Ed Perry and Rosie Brown on hiring prison leavers, shopping local and saving our soil July 18, 2023 Ed Perry and Rosie Brown are the sibling owners of COOK, the ‘force for good’ frozen food innovator Closer link between prisons and firms can work for all The government’s call last week for businesses to hire more prison leavers is to be applauded. At a time when the public sector is short of good [...]
Britain’s pro-growth agenda needs a rebrand to convince reluctant voters July 18, 2023 As the Tories face a brutal set of by-elections, they needs to find a way to give growth a good name again.