China is not the next superpower and we should stop fearing it July 27, 2021 Back in the 1980s many people expected Japan’s economy to overtake America’s. The world would see a new superpower. Today we hear the same said of China. Its GDP will be the world’s biggest and China will challenge the US for world leadership. China’s GDP may indeed make it to number one, but not GDP [...]
Starling Bank makes first acquisition in bid to expand lending July 26, 2021 British digital lender Starling Bank has struck a £50m deal for specialist buy-to-let mortgage lender Fleet Mortgages, in the first of an expected series of deals to drive growth. Starling, which last week said it was eyeing an IPO over the next two years, has finalised the cash and share deal for Hampshire-based Fleet Mortgages, for [...]
Work from home isn’t flexible work if it’s the only choice you have – and it’s failing young people July 26, 2021 When a group of teenagers are told to dress smartly for a first event at a city firm, what they wear tends to vary hugely. Some go for a full suit and tie; some for their school shirt or blouse with trousers. There are shoes and trainers, long skirts and short ones and coats and earphones that sometimes stay [...]
The wellness tax: providing healthy meals and fitness classes for staff should be tax-free for employers July 25, 2021 Over the last 18 months, we’ve heard a lot about the impact of the pandemic on mental health, and with good reason. According to the Office for National Statistics, around 1 in 5 adults experience some form of depression in early 2021 – more than double the number before the pandemic. More than half of [...]
Number 10 and Treasury discuss suspending pensions triple lock July 25, 2021 Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are in discussions over suspending the pensions triple lock as members of the cabinet raise their concern about a mooted National Insurance increase. The Treasury and Number 10 are inching closer to suspending the pensions triple lock this year as Covid-related statistical anomaly would mean pensioners would get an estimated [...]
Covid: Almost half of young adults have had to self-isolate during pandemic July 24, 2021 Almost half of young adults in the UK have been forced to self-isolate at least once during the pandemic, a new survey has revealed. Research by Yougov showed 46 per cent of Brits aged 18 to 24 have quarantined at least once after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for Covid. For the [...]
Tokenisation: assets are regular mail, tokenised assets are email July 23, 2021 Alex Lightman talks us through the complex world of tokenisation.
Exclusive: London Mayor urges China to respect ‘one country, two systems’ principle in Hong Kong July 23, 2021 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called on the British government to continue applying pressure on the Chinese government to respect the Sino-British Joint Declaration. In an exclusive interview with City A.M., Khan commented that new laws in Hong Kong have severely limited the rights and political freedom of Hongkongers, which is one of the reasons [...]
Tory party conference may only be open to double-vaxxed amid talk of boycott July 23, 2021 A Cabinet minister today did not rule out that vaccine passports may be required to gain entry to the Conservative Party conference, in a move that has sparked talk of a boycott. Environment Secretary George Eustice said there “could be a case” for attendees at the Tory conference in October having to prove they have [...]
How the Government’s Plan for Jobs can help July 23, 2021 The UK is now moving into the last stage of our exit out of lockdown – with many of the legal restrictions no longer in force. That’s good news – the result of a successful vaccine rollout and of our collective work to follow the rules to this point. There has, of course, been an [...]