Biotechnology entrepreneur Sir Chris Evans talks overworn t-shirts, sceptical VCs and pub deals September 14, 2014 They say if you don’t ask, you don’t get – and no one could accuse professor Sir Chris Evans of being shy about coming forward. Today, the medical sciences entrepreneur and government adviser has built companies worth over £3bn, floated 20, employed over 4,000 people and raised over £1.2bn from investors and governments across 30 [...]
Young backs Haskell as Wasps beat champions Northampton September 14, 2014 WASPS boss Dai Young insists his decision to appoint James Haskell skipper has been vindicated after the England hopeful produced a stoic performance as his side beat reigning champions Northampton Saints at Adams Park yesterday. Quick-fire second-half touchdowns from Ashley Johnson and Tom Varndell laid the platform for a 20-16 Wasps success despite Northampton breaching [...]
Philips needs solid numbers if he’s to see through his three-year plan – Bottom Line September 11, 2014 So you’ve had a row with your other half, and the next day, with the ensuing awkwardness still lingering, your eyes drift towards the posh chocolates in Waitrose. Combine ’em with some flowers, you reckon – chuck in a faux-sentimental card and maybe even a two-day break in Bruges – and hey presto, problem solved. [...]
The referendum is a triumph of democracy – and Scotland will prosper however it votes September 11, 2014 After months of campaigning, the waiting is nearly over. It is hard to understate the level of emotion that is being felt throughout the United Kingdom, but particularly in Scotland, about the referendum. Placards for Yes and No are scattered across the entire length of Scotland. Over 2m people watched one of the TV debates. [...]
In charts: Half of women don’t have private pensions September 11, 2014 Despite the maximum state pension being only £113.10 a week, just under half the people in the UK don't pay into a private pension scheme. This includes a third of employees – half of the self-employed and 80 per cent of unemployed people are also without a plan. The data was published by the Office [...]
DIY expert nails the top job at Kingfisher September 10, 2014 Veronique Laury set to become only one of five female FTSE 100 chief executives FEW PEOPLE on this side of the Channel will have heard of Veronique Laury, but after renovating three houses of her own, the incoming chief executive of Europe’s largest retailer has knowledge of the DIY sector that goes beyond just the [...]
G20: Shortage of jobs is hindering economic recovery September 10, 2014 Not enough jobs are being created in the G20 economies, and this is hindering prospects for economic growth according to a report by the OECD, ILO and World Bank Group. The G20 consists of the world's 20 biggest economies, which together account for an estimated 85 per cent of global GDP and 80 per [...]
Bad education? 14pc of English adults are now less educated than their parents September 10, 2014 Fourteen per cent of English adults aged 25-64 are less educated than their parents, according to a new study. The report explored educational mobility – or the likelihood people of a given generation achieve a higher level of education than their parents. The figures, by the OECD, showed educational mobility had slowed in the developed world, including [...]
Why Labour’s landlord plans will mean a better private rented sector September 10, 2014 Contrary to the views expressed by Ryan Bourne of the IEA, Labour’s reforms to the private rented sector are designed to address the chronic instability faced by families up and down the country. However, I agree wholeheartedly with his analysis that addressing the shortage of homes is paramount, and that’s why Labour has committed [...]
Mumsnet: the final frontier for Scottish independence debate, as Alistair Darling and Alex Salmond go head to head today September 10, 2014 Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling are poised for their final public debate before voters decide the fate of Scotland on September 18 – this time on web forum Mumsnet. The First Minister of Scotland and the leader of the Better Together campaign will draw swords on a live stream from 1:45pm today. A [...]