London’s businesses can lead a UK-wide economic recovery June 12, 2020 As the focus shifts from the immediate health crisis of Covid-19 to slowly easing the lockdown, the capital’s business leaders are committed to playing their part. Early this week, I brought together some of London’s most prominent businesses, representing all sectors of the economy, to map out solutions that support a business-led recovery. From Heathrow, [...]
Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals to remove controversial statues June 11, 2020 The statues outside Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals in London will be removed, it was decided this evening. The statues, which feature Sir Robert Clayton and Sir Thomas Guy, are part of the arts and heritage collection owned by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity. Clayton, whose statue is outside St Thomas’ Hospital, was a powerful member [...]
Babcock suspends decision on dividend amid coronavirus uncertainty June 11, 2020 Engineering giant Babcock has pulled its final dividend until it has more clarity on the financial damage wrought by the coronavirus pandemic. The London listed firm swung to a full year loss of £178m, causing shares to sink four per cent in morning trading. It also warned it would need to cut costs in in [...]
More ‘Boris bikes’ to be rolled out after record numbers take to two wheels June 10, 2020 Transport for London is adding 1,700 more bikes to its Santander Cycle scheme in response to record numbers of users during May. With health fears over coronavirus keeping Londoners off public transport, last month saw over 1.2m of the vehicles – formerly known as “Boris bikes” – hired, the highest number in the scheme’s 10-year [...]
TfL set to reopen its major construction projects June 9, 2020 Construction work is set to restart on major Transport for London (TfL) projects after months of inactivity. TfL announced today that it would organise a “phased restart” of its 300 sites that it shut down during the coronavirus lockdown. Key projects that will restart include the Bank station upgrade and the Northern Line extension. The [...]
Stop the world I wanna get off! June 9, 2020 The amazing accomplishments I described in my last edition seem a distant memory with what has been a horrific week around the globe. According to the W.H.O. Sunday, 7th June saw the highest number of deaths recorded with the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic shifting to Latin America, Brazil being ravaged the most it seems. [...]
Sir Keir Starmer not supportive of Bristol statue being pulled down by protesters June 8, 2020 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said it was “completely wrong” for protesters to bring down a Bristol statue of a slave trader yesterday, but that the ornament should have been brought down lawfully instead. Starmer said the statue of Edward Colston had “no place in 21st century Britain”, but that the statue “should have [...]
Boris Johnson moves to ease lockdown faster in face of mass job losses June 7, 2020 Boris Johnson is set to accelerate the speed of easing the coronavirus lockdown, after warnings of impending mass unemployment. Ministers have drawn up plans to bring Britain back to something resembling normal life by July, in order to ensure industries benefit from summer trading. The new plans will see the government allow planning restrictions to [...]
Face coverings mandatory for all England hospital visitors from 15 June June 5, 2020 It will be mandatory for all hospital visitors and outpatients in England to wear face coverings from 15 June, while all hospital staff will be required to wear surgical face masks. The change was announced today, after the government made face coverings mandatory on all English public transport networks yesterday. Health secretary Matt Hancock made [...]
Sadiq Khan calls for compulsory face coverings in all stores June 5, 2020 Sadiq Khan has called for the government to make face coverings mandatory in all stores, after they were made compulsory on all English public transport networks yesterday. The mayor of London said he welcomed the “U-turn from the government” on making coverings compulsory on public transport, but said it should go further. Non-essential retail shops [...]