Sandwichgate: How Sports Direct spied on MPs with a camera hidden in sandwiches November 7, 2016 Shocked MPs were left fuming after staff at Mike Ashley's Sports Direct apparently attempted to spy on them using a camera hidden under a plate of sandwiches. Members of the business select committee paid the controversial retailer's Shirebrook site a surprise visit earlier today, as part of a long-running investigation into conditions at the company. [...]
MPs pay surprise visit to Sports Direct’s Shirebrook warehouse November 7, 2016 MPs have made a surprise visit to Sports Direct's Shirebrook warehouse to take a look at how the retailer is progressing with improvements to its working practices. The Telegraph has reported that Iain Wright MP, chair of the business, energy and industrial strategy committee, which led an inquiry into Sports Direct earlier this year, gave [...]
Lewis Hamilton on hanging out with Tom Cruise, getting advice from Kanye West and staying up late – then killing it on the track November 7, 2016 "I’m very much an outsider,” says Lewis Hamilton. We’re cruising around east London in the back of a pearlescent white Maybach, when I put it to him that he’s different to the other drivers in Formula One. He dresses differently, acts differently, hangs out with a different entourage; he’s the only driver who could be [...]
The government wants “flexibility but fairness” for Uber and gig economy workers November 1, 2016 Flexibility as well as fairness must be considered when it comes to workers rights in the wake of the landmark Uber driver employment ruling, the government’s digital minister has said. “Technology is changing employment patterns and it's important we keep up with that and it's important that employers take their employment law responsibilities seriously,” said Matt [...]
Amazon Echo review: Or how I started talking to a little black cylinder every day October 25, 2016 How often do you trust Siri to do much besides setting a timer when you’re cooking pasta, or telling you whether or not it’s going to rain? Since they crept into our pockets, virtual assistants haven’t progressed much past the point of pseudo-capable helpers, who are unreliable in most roles beyond fancy egg-timers and meteorologists [...]
Amazon’s £49 virtual assistant launches in the UK today: The Amazon Echo Dot October 20, 2016 Amazon has announced that the all-new Echo Dot launches in the UK today. Whereas the larger Echo device has its own speaker, the puck-sized Dot must be connected to external speakers to allow you to control your home entertainment system using your voice. It also works alone if you'd just like to chat to Alexa, the Echo's artificial intelligence, using a [...]
Asos to move employees onto a higher living wage in the next 18 months October 18, 2016 Hitting back at accusations that it mistreats workers, Asos said today it will be moving employees onto the living wage foundation level of pay over the next year and a half. The Living Wage Foundation sets a separate minimum wage for employers that companies opt-in for. Currently, companies in the scheme pay a minimum of £8.25 [...]
Tennis star Nick Kyrgios set to see sports psychologist under threat of eight-week ban October 17, 2016 Bad boy Nick Kyrgios is set to comply with tennis chiefs’ demand that he sees a psychologist in order to avoid a ban from the sport that would keep him out until next year. The measure is part of a second wave of sanctions for the Australian’s behaviour last week at the Shanghai Masters, where [...]
The fashion industry is on its steepest decline for seven years October 17, 2016 The fashion market is on its steepest decline for seven years, according to new data, with £700m wiped off the value of the UK market since last year. According to figures from Kantar Worldpanel, sales declined for the fourth month in a row in September as retailers continued to offer huge discounts to consumers. Kantar [...]
Asos set to bag a Brexit win this week when it reports its results October 16, 2016 Asos is set to be crowned a Brexit winner this week when it reports its results for the year on Tuesday, with profits expected to rise by over 30 per cent. Half of Asos' customers are overseas, helping the online retailer mitigate against the pain of the slump in sterling. It's fortunes are in stark [...]