A digital tax is no way to reward our innovative online retailers July 28, 2020 Throughout lockdown, the advantages — indeed, the essentiality — of online retail became clear. Now, Rishi Sunak is rumoured to be mulling over a new online sales tax. Advocates for this new tax, such as SportsDirect owner Mike Ashley and Tesco boss Dave Lewis, believe that the existing business rates system creates an uneven playing [...]
Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley warns of closures after business rates review delay July 22, 2020 Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group, formerly known as Sports Direct, has warned it could be forced to close stores after the government delayed a business rates review. The government has promised a “fundamental review” into the long-term future of business rates. In March it gave retail, hospitality and leisure businesses a year-long holiday from the tax [...]
Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0 review: The joy of six July 18, 2020 I was blissfully ignorant at the time, but this would be my final fling. A few days later, the UK entered lockdown, and the freedom to simply go for a drive was abruptly revoked. In the weeks and months that followed, I often thought about that afternoon. Confined to Croydon, sealed off from friends and [...]
Major UK mobile networks vow not to reintroduce roaming charges after Brexit July 13, 2020 The UK’s four major phone networks — EE, Three, Vodafone and O2 — have vowed not to reintroduce roaming charges when Britain leaves the bloc in January, after the government today urged Brits to check with their mobile carriers for price changes ahead of the Brexit transition period deadline. The UK government today called on the [...]
Life after lockdown: Returning to the classroom won’t be straightforward for our vulnerable children June 24, 2020 2020 is not the year anyone expected. The coronavirus pandemic has upended the lives of millions: people have lost jobs, been furloughed or taken pay cuts, and purse strings have tightened as a result. The impact has been especially hard on this country’s disadvantaged families — in particular, children’s education. It is a challenge I [...]
As China gears up on the cyber offensive, we need herd immunity to boost our national resilience June 19, 2020 With a GDP of $13.5 trillion, dwarfing Britain’s by almost $12 trillion, China is the third most economically powerful country in the world after Russia and the US — for now at least. And as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts the world in a way not seen since the Second World War, China is seeking to [...]
Crypto AM turns two years old today – One week, four anniversaries! June 18, 2020 Two years ago on the 18th June the first edition of Crypto AM was published in London’s City AM newspaper as a double page spread. With Crypto AM as a weekly feature, City AM became the only mainstream publisher to do this, thus providing an educational voice for the industry to share knowledge with the [...]
BBC to show more repeats amid “tough period” for the broadcaster June 16, 2020 The BBC has said it will show more repeats over the summer and output will be “thinner” over the next year after the coronavirus pandemic forced the broadcaster to scrap its filming schedule. Speaking to ministers at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee hearing today, senior executives said the BBC [...]
Which retailers are reopening as the coronavirus lockdown lifts? June 12, 2020 After two months of being closed during the coronavirus lockdown, Britain’s high streets are coming back to life. Across the board, retailers across the country are working out how to get their businesses going again – and what measures they need to take to keep people safe. So what shops can customers expect to open [...]
Government unveils pandemic support package for struggling tech firms June 9, 2020 International trade secretary Liz Truss will on Wednesday unveil a package of measures designed to help bolster the UK’s tech community, as businesses continue to struggle during the coronavirus pandemic. Jointly supported by the Department for International Trade (DIT) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the measures are aimed at helping [...]