UK to issue visas for foreign construction workers to fill job shortages July 17, 2023 Carpenters, bricklayers and roofers are among migrant workers who will be allowed to apply for work visas and get a discount on fees in a bid to fill UK job shortages. The Home Office said it was “temporarily easing visa restrictions” for a string of construction roles by adding them to the shortage occupation list. [...]
California holidays: Why Monterey, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara make the perfect road trip July 17, 2023 There’s more to California than Los Angeles and San Francisco – try Monterey, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara, says Richard Franks America is the land of the road trip, and its Pacific Highway is up there with its most iconic. Hugging some 656 miles of rugged Californian coast between San Francisco and San Diego, the [...]
Bank of England interest rate hikes trigger record £2.1 trillion UK wealth collapse, report claims July 17, 2023 The Bank of England has engineered the largest contraction in UK household wealth on record by jacking up interest rates in response to scorching inflation, a new report out today has claimed. Asset values have collapsed by £2.1 trillion since early 2021, mainly driven by a sharp fall in bond prices in response to UK [...]
The Liberal Democrats and the long, hard climb back to political relevancy July 17, 2023 As Keir Starmer looks increasingly likely to be the next PM, Ed Davey's Liberal Democrats have a shot at power - if they can remind voters they exist, writes Eliot Wilson
Financially weak energy suppliers could be penalised for paying out dividends, Ofgem boss warns July 16, 2023 Energy suppliers that are not financially resilient but continue to pay out dividends could be penalised by the UK’s energy regulator. Jonathan Brearley, the head of Ofgem, wrote to suppliers last week asking them to ensure that falling energy prices are passed onto consumers and that they step up their customer service levels. But he [...]
Survey reveals extent of remote working loneliness July 16, 2023 Ever since the pandemic the conversation has rattled on about the benefits and setbacks of remote working. Increased flexibility, it turns out, has a downside: loneliness. A new survey by Promoleaf has revealed that more than a third of female remote workers (39 per cent) feel lonely working from home, and a much higher rate [...]
Sexism in the City: MPs to investigate barriers for women and ‘alpha male’ culture in finance July 14, 2023 MPs are set to investigate barriers faced by women in finance, in a new probe into sexism in the City of London. The treasury committee is calling for evidence for its inquiry into progress on ending gender pay gaps and how firms, government and regulators can tackle misogyny and harassment. Harriett Baldwin, treasury committee chairwoman, [...]
Lana del Rey, Billy Joel and Taylor Swift fever are bringing back London’s nightlife July 14, 2023 London is roaring back – and our unparalleled variety of culture, nightlife and live music is leading the way. Our fantastic nightclubs, arenas, and stadiums attract the globe’s biggest names, and our cherished grassroots venues are the platform for the next generation of talent. But even by London’s high standards, last week was extraordinary with more [...]
Beneatha’s Place at the Young Vic, review: Canny direction, excellent acting July 13, 2023 Kwame Kwei-Armah’s play (which he also directs) Beneatha’s Place is a more straightforward proposition than its circuitous history might suggest. It’s the first UK staging of his 2013 work, which premiered in Baltimore and acts as an unofficial sequel to Lorraine Hansberry’s seminal 1959 play about the African American experience. You don’t really need to [...]
The Square Mile and Me: Paragon Bank CEO Nigel Terrington talks paper rounds, The Lamb and office faux pas July 13, 2023 We dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good: this week, Nigel Terrington, chief executive of Paragon Bank, takes a stroll down memory lane. What was your first job? I was a paper boy, aged around 14, in Surrey. I had to get up ridiculously early and the biggest challenge was to [...]