What’s behind the rise of anti-establishment politics? From Brexit to Trump and Bernie Sanders, frustration at inequality is rising – and some experts think central bank policies are to blame June 28, 2016 Anti-establishment sentiment is growing, with political leaders seen as “alternative” drawing support across the Western world – from the rise of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump in the US, to France’s National Front, Germany’s AfD, Italy’s Lega Nord and Syriza in Greece. The surprise triumph of the Brexit movement falls into this camp too. And a [...]
Daphne Koller on Coursera in refugee camps, and why our education systems won’t help us in the future June 27, 2016 If you've never done a MOOC – a massive open online course – you likely know someone who has. Coursera is the biggest provider in the world. Launched just four years ago, it now has almost 20m learners worldwide, in 140 institutions across 28 countries. In the UK, there are over 600,000 users. Co-founder Daphne Koller was [...]
The new housing crisis is upon us – and it’s those who already own property that should be worried June 18, 2016 We hear an awful lot about the "housing crisis" in the UK and – particularly – in the capital. At one end of the ladder, rents are rising faster than wages and house prices are going up quicker than people can save for a deposit. At the other, new taxes and regulations on second homes [...]
Say what you like about the EU referendum – but Brexit isn’t going to hit UK house prices June 13, 2016 Why leaving or staying will have no impact on house prices In the run-up to next Thursday’s referendum, there have been some flabbergasting claims made by both sides. Suppositions made include the premise that leaving the European Union would lead to war and recession (although it was not made clear in what order these will [...]
Sadiq Khan won’t improve life for London’s renters by wrapping buy-to-let landlords in red tape June 8, 2016 A “referendum on housing.” That was how Sadiq Khan described the London mayoral contest. Access to housing that Londoners can afford is certainly critical to the future success of the capital, and at the heart of the mayor’s plans are substantial reforms to private rented property. As the voice of private landlords, we welcome debate about [...]
The curious case of Swiss referendums: Tunnels and trains win the day but tax changes shot down at the polls June 6, 2016 Swiss voters rejected the much-hyped basic income proposal put to them in yesterday's referendum. More than three-quarters of voters sided with the government and campaigners who warned the proposal to give every man and woman 2,500 Swiss francs (£1,773) a month was just too expensive. The proposal was put forward by a Swiss businessman through Switzerland's form [...]
SMEs have a gloomy view of the economy, as uncertainty over the upcoming EU referendum vote and higher wage bills take their toll June 6, 2016 The summer weather has done little to boost SME owners' moods, with research out today showing that many have lost confidence in the economy. According to the study by Close Brothers, only one in five SMEs said they were confident that the economy could deliver a steady recovery, while more than a quarter said they were [...]
What the quiet rise of Tooting says about the challenges facing Sadiq Khan as mayor May 31, 2016 As with all great cities, London has many faces. We all know the stereotypes: West London is for old money and new oligarchs, North London is for intellectuals and media luvvies, East London is for hipsters and entrepreneurs, and as for South London, well that’s not actually so clear. West and North have historically been [...]
Iain Duncan Smith: “Immigration is the economy, stupid.” May 31, 2016 Former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith has warned that unchecked immigration will hit both wages and the affordability of homes as a new report has forecast that almost half a million refugees could arrive in the UK from 2020 onwards. According to a report from lobbying group Migration Watch, up to 968,000 of the 1.7m refugees already in [...]
Multigenerational households are set to rise across the UK May 27, 2016 As house prices soar across the country, a report released today predicts that the UK could become a nation of multigenerational households. There has been a 52 per cent rise in house prices between 2005 and 2015, according to the report from Aviva. During the same period, there has been a 32 per cent increase [...]