Employee exodus: The housing crisis is now a dire threat to the future of London’s businesses October 11, 2015 Tomorrow will see a key intervention in the housing debate. Business leaders from across the capital will launch a major campaign called Fifty Thousand Homes. That’s the number of houses we need to build a year to keep up with London’s growing population. Housing costs are becoming a problem for employers as much as [...]
London property price boom is making flatshares unaffordable for the capital’s residents October 6, 2015 Not only is London the most expensive place to buy a property in the UK, and seemingly getting pricier all the time, it is also becoming increasingly difficult to live in a flatshare in the capital. The average monthly price for a rented room in London is £692.30, according to data from flatshare website [...]
Why Britain’s savings crisis is worse than you think October 5, 2015 We all knew Britain had a long-term savings crisis, but it’s now looking more like a disaster. For all the effort the government has put into liberalizing the pensions system, boosting personal responsibility by giving everyone the choice of what to do with their pots at retirement, one simple fact has not been addressed: we’re [...]
A place in the sun: Your guide to buying a home in Spain October 5, 2015 Many Londoners have a hankering to buy a second home abroad, and Spain ranks as one of the most popular places to own one. There are officially 750,000 British people living in Spain, and thousands more who own property but live in the UK. Spain’s economy was hit hard by the financial crisis, and [...]
Powder White’s co-founder Fraser Ewart-White on ski lifts, Khazakstan and the credit crunch October 4, 2015 When do the best business ideas come to you? For Fraser Ewart-White, it was while swinging on a chair-lift 1500m above sea level. Ewart-White had recently left his job as head of buying at the entertainment company Blockbuster, turning his back on his career to study for an MBA and, among other great ambitions, to [...]
Conservatives name Zac Goldsmith as candidate for London Mayoral Election 2016 October 2, 2015 The Conservatives have chosen their man for next year's London mayoral race: Zac Goldsmith, who was widely expected to win the online primary. In a statement this morning, the Conservative party said Goldsmith received 70 per cent of the online vote – way above runner-up Syed Kamall, who clinched 16 per cent. The decision will [...]
From Volkswagen and Glencore to the Black Cab protest: Here’s what got us talking this week September 25, 2015 There was an alarming protest in Croydon (with an excellent response from Debenhams). There was an eyebrow-raising development in the world of robotics. And somewhere in the CIty, some window cleaners were left hanging. On the side of skyscraper. For several hours. Here's what got us talking this week Could you fall in love with [...]
Volkswagen emissions scandal: We need more power for shareholders, not less – The City View September 23, 2015 This column warned yesterday that people already suspicious of the motivations and practices of the corporate world would be buoyed by the scandal engulfing Volkswagen. A cloud of noxious fumes still lingers around the reputation of the carmaker, and is likely to do so for a long time yet. So it is with [...]
Volkswagen car emissions scandal: VW’s crisis shows the cost of having unclear values September 23, 2015 The scandal surrounding Volkswagen’s rigged emissions tests, which may affect 11m vehicles, has rightly caused outrage. The carmaker is in crisis, its chief executive has resigned, consumers are shocked, and Volkswagen’s share price has dropped by nearly a third. The company announced that it is setting aside almost £5bn to cover the costs, although [...]
Lord Browne: Saving the corporation – it’s time to reconnect September 17, 2015 Criticism of big business has long been a favourite pastime of the left. From Jeremy Corbyn to UK Uncut, such campaigners dominate discourse on the disconnect between companies and society, and the solutions proposed to deal with this issue consequently often have a punitive edge, from jailing bankers to renationalising industry. Enter one of [...]