DEBATE: Should the Treasury consider a ‘mansion tax’ to help fund spending commitments? February 13, 2020 Should the Treasury consider a ‘mansion tax’ to help fund spending commitments? Robert Palmer, director of Tax Justice UK, says YES Do you know who pays more in council tax: me in my two-bedroom flat in Kentish Town, or the owner of the £160m penthouse at the top of 1 Hyde Park? Astonishingly, the answer [...]
Leah Williamson interview: England and Arsenal defender on the fortunate timing of her career, studying accountancy and her Olympic dream February 12, 2020 Like many football-mad children, Leah Williamson dreamed of becoming a professional player. The talent was there and she took the first step on the ladder aged nine when she joined the Arsenal Ladies Centre of Excellence in 2006. However, there was one major problem in her way: 14 years ago there was no such a [...]
PMQS: Corbyn raises Darius Guppy call as he grills Johnson over Jamaican deportees February 12, 2020 Jeremy Corbyn provoked gasps of disbelief in the Commons today, as he appeared to compare the Prime Minister to one of the criminals being deported to Jamaica. Speaking during his weekly clash with Boris Johnson, the outgoing Labour leader raised the case of a young black boy who came to the UK aged five and [...]
Lando Norris reveals the anxiety of his debut F1 season and what he is targeting in 2020 February 11, 2020 As a new season approaches, Formula One’s youngest driver is ready to come of age in his second campaign. Lando Norris enjoyed a relatively successful debut season in 2019, finishing 11th in the driver’s standings as McLaren came fourth in the constructors’ championship. But the 20-year-old Briton did not always believe his first foray into [...]
Yes, you read that right: Croydon is named a London borough of culture February 11, 2020 The annual London Borough of Culture award is coming to the birthplace of grime superstar Stormzy in 2023. Croydon was named by mayor of London Sadiq Khan as the London Borough of Culture for 2023 today, while Lewisham got the nod for 2021. The South London boroughs will each receive £1.35m to organise year-long programmes [...]
There are more funds run by Daves than by women February 11, 2020 The investment industry has a gender representation problem, and more needs to be done, says Holly Black There are more funds in the UK run by men named David than there are female fund managers in total. Of 1,496 UK-listed open-ended funds, 108 are run by managers named David or Dave – equivalent to 7.2% [...]
Nice try housing secretary, but your ‘First Homes’ policy will do nothing to solve the housing crisis February 11, 2020 There is a housing crisis in this country. In our cities in particular, the majority of people are spending a significant chunk of their income on rent or are unable to afford to move out of the family home. The idea of home ownership is now a pipe dream for many young people — a [...]
Weekly Grill: Barboun’s Fez Ozalgan on vomiting chicken hearts and cooking steak February 10, 2020 Who are you and what do you do? My name is Fez Ozalgan. I’m the head chef of Barboun on Great Eastern Street in Shoreditch. Tell us about Barboun It’s an Eastern Mediterranean grill restaurant, specialising in dishes cooked over open fire. The menu features a lot of fish and vegetables but, in my opinion, a [...]
The value of trust in an age of fake news February 10, 2020 Ipsos MORI may be best known for its political polls during the run up to a General Election, but that is only a tiny part of its business. Far more of its time and resources are devoted to conducting market research for a wide range of major organisations. It is an industry where trust is [...]
How e-scooters, self-driving cars, and flying taxis will shape the future of your commute February 10, 2020 An air of tranquility hangs about Stratford’s electric scooter riders. Their bodies are still, poised, as they glide by on this crisp February morning. I try to copy them and end up skidding along, struggling to figure out how to position my feet — but after a couple of wobbles I’m gliding too. As I [...]