As the London Mayoral election looms, it’s time for Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan to think big on housing April 7, 2016 With just under a month to go until London votes for a new Mayor, and less than a week until City A.M. hosts a packed-out hustings between the two main candidates, one familiar issue has raised its rather ugly head – the soaring cost of living in our capital. Some housing market analysts believe that government [...]
Memo to the City: Why tackling mental health issues makes good business sense March 31, 2016 One in four of us will suffer mental illness during our lifetime. It’s a shocking statistic that demonstrates the seriousness of this public health crisis. Treatment can be very effective, but sufferers need to be sure they will get the support and help they need. For this to happen, we need better coordination and engagement from government, [...]
What’s behind the rise of anti-establishment politics? From Brexit to Trump and Bernie Sanders, frustration at inequality is rising – and some experts think central bank policies are to blame June 28, 2016 Anti-establishment sentiment is growing, with political leaders seen as “alternative” drawing support across the Western world – from the rise of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump in the US, to France’s National Front, Germany’s AfD, Italy’s Lega Nord and Syriza in Greece. The surprise triumph of the Brexit movement falls into this camp too. And a [...]
Former BHS owner Dominic Chappell “preparing bid” for BHS – but insiders think he’s “living in cloud cuckoo-land” April 27, 2016 The former owner of BHS, Dominic Chappell, is close to making a bid for the iconic retailer that entered administration on Monday – but sources have already dismissed him as "living in cloud cuckoo-land". Chappell, who is facing pressure under claims he took £1.5m out of the firm and moved into another company called BHS [...]
Nearly 20 per cent of London households are in debt after paying for essentials February 24, 2016 Nearly one in five London households end up in the red on a monthly basis after paying for essentials, according to new data. Figures from Scottish Friendly also found that after buying essentials such as housing, energy, water, groceries and transport, the average London household has just £934 left per month to save or use [...]
Budget 2016: With the appointment of Lord Heseltine to lead Thames Estuary Growth Commission is the government finally taking the Thames Estuary’s potential seriously? March 18, 2016 Asking someone to agree on the parameters of the Thames Estuary, one of the largest inlets on the coast of the United Kingdom, is almost as hard as asking someone to decide on the best way to unlock its economic potential. The 146 mile Estuary, once the launching place of England's great ships of exploration [...]
Business rates set to reach their highest level since introduced in 1990, costing firms an extra £400m March 9, 2016 Retailers and other businesses are bracing themselves for another rates squeeze next month, when the levy will rise again to reach its highest level since it was introduced in 1990. From 1 April, the uniform business rate will hit a landmark 49.7 pence in the pound, which will cost businesses an extra £188m in rates in [...]
Twitter files its annual report after a rough year: monthly active users stagnate as head count remains stubbonly high February 29, 2016 Twitter has missed its own targets for a reduction in its head count as it struggles with stagnant user growth and stalling revenue. Despite promising to rein in costs, staff numbers at Twitter rose by approximately 260 full-time employees over the year to hit a whopping 3,898 at the end of December 2015. At the tail end [...]
Tesco full-year results: Three things you need to know April 10, 2016 Tesco may just have a shock in store for shareholders and the rest of the City – and for once, it's a good one. Call it a belated Easter gift. The struggling supermarket is about to report a surprise turnaround in sales after Dave Lewis's crack of the whip over the past several months. Belt tightening [...]
Airbnb your house: Here’s how much Londoners could be making from the sharing economy July 13, 2016 The sharing economy is growing faster in Britain than anywhere else in Europe. As it has become more expensive to own cars, homes and even electrical equipment, more of us are seeing the advantages of monetising our idle assets. PwC estimates that transactions on platforms in the five biggest sharing economy sectors almost doubled in [...]