No Conservative should stand for Britain in decline January 16, 2025 With persistent inflation, Conservatives exhausted and a Labour government with no ideas, the ghosts of the 1970s have returned to haunt Britain. Now, just as then, a comprehensive reboot of the right is required, says Sir Simon Clarke We live in a time of ghosts. The spirits of the 1970s are stirring across the UK, [...]
RFU hits back at MPs, saying it got no COVID-19 loans from Government January 15, 2025 The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has hit back at MPs after a swathe of parliamentarians demanded government intervention over the “dying” game. English rugby’s governing body has faced widespread criticism over bumper bonuses for chief executive Bill Sweeney while the wider game struggles to find a financial footing. Shadow sports minister Louie French said that [...]
Lloyds Banking Group to shut major office impacting 500 staff January 15, 2025 Lloyds Banking Group will shut its office in Liverpool later this year, in a move set to impact the site’s 500 staff. The group said its decision to close its Speke location is part of broader plans to run “fewer, better-equipped” offices amid efforts to cut costs. In a statement, Lloyds said it has not [...]
Tottenham battles Wembley after Benn v Eubank confirmed for April January 15, 2025 The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is vying with Wembley to be host venue for the much-anticipated British boxing showdown between bitter rivals Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr in April. Saudi official Turki Alalshikh confirmed overnight that the fight has been made, more than two years after it was called off at short notice, and will [...]
AI can slash government red tape – unless red tape gets in its way January 15, 2025 The Prime Minister has said he wants to “go for it” with AI, so let’s get these tools into the hands of frontline workers, get them out from behind their desks and save taxpayers money, says Alex Stephany The Prime Minister was right to give a stark warning on AI to the public sector this [...]
Can your employer force you back to the office? January 15, 2025 Headlines have been blowing up this week with several big businesses forcing its workforce back into the office. A topic that often results in a heated debate
Taiwan: The technology of freedom January 15, 2025 This week, Tom Tudgendhat spoke at the Taiwan Institute for National Defence and Security Research. Here he makes an impassioned case for the island’s outward-facing, innovative economic model – and argues it is an essential partner for the West Visiting Taipei, a city striving at the forefront of innovation, even as it upholds Chinese traditions and [...]
Home REIT: Beleaguered property fund value falls 60 per cent January 14, 2025 Scandal-hit housing investor Home REIT has published its long-delayed 2023 annual results, revealing its property portfolio has been valued at just 40.7 per cent of its original purchase cost. The results for the year to 31 August 2023 revealed that the value of Home REIT’s assets had decreased by more than a third in a [...]
Lloyds Bank ties bonuses to office attendance January 14, 2025 The Guardian reported that Lloyds is reviewing office attendance as part of its bonus targets for around 60,000 of its most senior employees.
Trouble for B&M as millions wiped off value despite huge pay day January 14, 2025 Despite reporting increased sales and a huge dividend of more than £150m, shares in B&M plunged in the aftermath of its latest trading update last week. Shares in the Liverpool-headquartered discount retailer slumped from 360p to 316p following the publication of its third quarter results. B&M’s price has hardly recovered in the days since, with [...]