There’s only one way to fix the housing crisis: build more January 9, 2019 From free marketeers on the right to proponents of central planning on the left, cries to fix Britain’s broken housing market have become deafening. The solutions, of course, differ greatly depending on where along the political spectrum you stand. Yesterday, for example, Shelter issued its latest call to action, proposing three million new social homes [...]
Giving to a charity at Christmas is great, but we should think of helping others all year round December 13, 2018 It is nearly Christmas, and it is well known that the theme of the season is the giving of gifts and thinking of others. As a result, it is also a popular time of year for people to give to charity. In fact, data from the Charities Aid Foundation shows that November and December are [...]
To lead the digital revolution, London must ensure that no one is left behind November 26, 2018 This week, I will be meeting leading businesses, charities, educators, innovators and investors at a Digital Skills Summit at the Mansion House to look at how emerging technologies are transforming the way we live, work, and communicate with each other. Building on my mayoral programme – Shaping Tomorrow’s City Today – the summit will consider [...]
DEBATE: Do we need tighter rules to prevent unpaid internships and improve social mobility? November 26, 2018 Do we need tighter rules to prevent unpaid internships and improve social mobility? Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust, says YES. In many sectors, young people early in their career are expected to “pay their dues” by working in a series of unpaid internships. The experiences and contacts gained really do help [...]
Students shouldn’t have to knock on doors to get the help they need November 21, 2018 When I was approached to be the chair of the ACCA Emerging Talent Advisory group it was an opportunity I grabbed instantly. Championing social mobility is something that is very close to my heart, having grown up on a rough council estate in East London, I know exactly what it is like when you want [...]
The government is finally turning its attention to the housing crisis, but what’s missing? November 8, 2018 There's no question that the housing market is in need of drastic reform. So it was welcome news last week when the chancellor announced that the government was turning its attention to reforming the supply side of the market through a £500m Housing Infrastructure Fund and British Business Bank guarantees for SME house builders. In broader terms, there seems to [...]
Today’s Budget is a chance to reinvigorate domestic policy October 29, 2018 It has been a year of momentous change for department titles. The Department for Health has added Social Care to its name, while the Department for Communities and Local Government has recently become a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. So far, those changes have not been accompanied by a new and much-needed domestic [...]
Responsible business isn’t a fad – it’s at the heart of how the City operates October 1, 2018 Being a responsible firm is now an essential part of everyday business for many companies, with this ethos engrained in the culture, purpose, and day-to-day activity, rather than as a separate initiative. This is a great step forward from the picture 10 years ago – and progress is continuing. Last week was a big week [...]
Unleash the entrepreneurs to tackle London’s school shortage September 6, 2015 London’s booming population is creating a massive demand for new schools. The capital requires 113,000 new school places over the next five years alone – equal to 10 per cent of existing school places. Part of this demand can be met by expanding existing schools. But hundreds of brand new schools will also be [...]
The UK’s skills shortage is getting worse: It’s time for a shake up in the classroom and the boardroom September 3, 2015 There’s an elephant in the boardroom. According to a survey of the finance directors of many of the UK’s largest companies, it casts a greater shadow than China or Brexit or the hacking horrors of cyber attacks. It’s the new number one at the top of Britain's risk registers – the difficulty of recruiting [...]