Starmer’s diplomacy downplays “epic scale” of Chinese spying December 17, 2024 Yang Tengbo insists that he is not a spy and that he would “never do anything to harm the interests of the UK.” He was speaking yesterday after instructing his legal team to disclose his identity following the “high level of speculation and misreporting in the media and elsewhere.” Much of that reporting focused on [...]
The British left has questions to answer over Bristol graduate’s abduction in Venezuela December 17, 2024 Jesús Armas, a former intern at the Institute of Economic Affairs who stood up for freedom on the world stage, has disappeared in Venezuela. Why are the left so wilfully blind to the human rights abuses of those who share their beliefs abroad? Ask Emma Revell Last Wednesday morning I woke up to messages from [...]
London’s flexible office workers shift to four days a week December 16, 2024 Workers in London’s flexible office space have increased the number of days at their desk, despite sentiment that Londoners were unlikely to return to pre-covid working patterns. Three quarters of workers in flexible offices now use the working space at least four days a week, according to fresh data from Knight Frank. This comes amid [...]
Persimmon boss warns triple Budget hit will add billions for housebuilders December 16, 2024 Persimmon chief executive Dean Finch has warned that higher costs from new levies will add around £40m in annual costs and add “billions” in expenses across the housebuilding sector. He claimed that the taxes would hurt the government’s ambitious target of building 1.5m homes by 2029, telling The Times that there was a “disconnect” between [...]
‘Hammer blow’: Family firms call for inheritance tax consultation December 16, 2024 Family businesses are urging the government to consult on changes to inheritance tax (IHT), warning the move represents a “hammer blow” to the UK economy. Some 160,000 family-owned firms – represented by 32 trade associations – have written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves to request a formal consultation on IHT changes in the Budget. The letter, [...]
Innovation, sustainability, trade: why London is the financial centre the world needs December 16, 2024 With global challenges mounting, London must prioritise innovation, sustainability, and trade to safeguard its future as the world’s leading financial centre — for the benefit of all, writes Chris Hayward. The financial services sector is at a crossroads. Emerging technologies are redefining how businesses and consumers interact, the drive toward net zero demands urgent action and [...]
The Notebook: Why we need to change the narrative for female founders December 16, 2024 The City’s movers and shakers have their say, today it’s senior program manager for Europe at Village Capital Marta Zaccagnini The State of European Tech report is out. That time of year when those of us working on inclusive investing – investing in startups led by women, ethnic minorities and other groups underrepresented in the funding [...]
Wolves lose patience with O’Neil after fourth defeat in a row December 15, 2024 Wolves have sacked manager Gary O’Neil after a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat left them second from bottom of the table. Saturday’s stoppage-time 2-1 loss at home to fellow strugglers Ipswich Town was their 12th reverse of the season in all competitions. Chairman Jeff Shi said: “We’re very grateful to Gary for all of his [...]
Best cars of 2024 – From the new Aston Martin Vantage to the McLaren Artura Spider December 13, 2024 The car industry is facing strong headwinds, from import tariffs to mandated EV sales targets. Despite it all, though, 2024 has produced some genuinely exciting new cars, many of which we were lucky enough to drive. This isn’t a round-up of the ‘best’ cars of the year; many of the vehicles listed here are totally [...]
What start-ups taught me about ambition this year December 12, 2024 Ambition AM Editor Jennifer Sieg takes a look at what she’s learned from covering the world of entrepreneurship this year I am often asked what I look for when it comes to writing about a start-up or interviewing an entrepreneur, and for quite some time I considered it to be the million dollar question. Fortunately, [...]