At a time of political flux, UK-US links have never been more important June 17, 2019 It was no surprise to see so much media scrutiny around President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Britain, and there is no doubt that the special relationship between the UK and the US will remain in sharp focus over the coming years. Whatever form that relationship takes in the future, it’s impossible to ignore a [...]
Freebike to launch electric bike-sharing scheme in the City May 28, 2019 Electric bike company Freebike is set to launch a dockless bike-sharing service in the Square Mile after securing a contract with the City of London Corporation. The pedal-assist electric bikes will allow workers to travel around the City using the Freebike app or by swiping a contactless card, with a pause facility enabling users to [...]
Exiles on St Mary Axe: Turkish law firm fleeing Erdogan regime establishes itself in London May 20, 2019 After the failed July 2016 coup against Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one of the country’s largest law firms was closed by police amid a wider crackdown that saw journalists jailed, judges detained and generals purged. The firm had formerly been the Turkish arm of international legal giant DLA Piper, and its founding partners were [...]
Relations with China are important, but so is the need to stand up to them May 17, 2019 China has become a significant player in the City and there can be no doubt that its activities in London help strengthen the Square Mile’s role as a global financial centre. Read more: City Corporation slammed for decision to ban Taiwan from Lord Mayor's show The average daily trading volume of the Chinese currency in [...]
City Corporation slammed for decision to ban Taiwan float from Lord Mayor’s show May 14, 2019 The chair of the influential Foreign Affairs Select Committee has accused the City of London Corporation of allowing itself to be pushed around by China after the body banned Taiwan from participating in the Lord Mayor's show. In an unusual move, the City of London Corporation, which governs the Square Mile, went against the [...]
TfL did not see controversial Garden Bridge construction contract, boss reveals May 13, 2019 Transport for London (TfL) did not see the contract that the Garden Bridge Trust signed with a construction company for its proposed crossing over the Thames, which was later scrapped to the tune of £53.5m. The Garden Bridge project, which was backed by former mayor Boris Johnson and whose trustees included Joanna Lumley and former Labour minister [...]
Mental health and wellbeing should be top of the business agenda May 13, 2019 More than 26m working days were lost in 2017-18 due to work-related ill health. Stress, depression and anxiety accounted for the majority of those days. Figures like these highlight just how many people are dealing with poor mental health, and so while it may feel like this issue is receiving a lot of attention in [...]
Follow the money: Brexiter Tories stuff their war chests ahead of leadership election May 10, 2019 The one thing that is always guaranteed to raise eyebrows in British politics – not least since the scandal that rocked this country exactly ten years ago – is MPs’ finances. Amid a greater focus on transparency, Commons members must declare money they earn outside of their salary as an elected representative. For some, this could be [...]
Government moves to take UK fintech startups global April 29, 2019 The UK’s fintech startups are set to get a boost from the government towards expansion across borders, international trade secretary Liam Fox announced yesterday. Building on the so-called fintech bridge agreements signed by the UK and other nations in recent years, a cohort of startups have been selected for two pilot programmes that will provide [...]
The City’s towers rise up from ancient streets, and the contrast is sublime April 12, 2019 We can become desensitised to the rich history and incredible architectural tapestry that makes the City what it is. We can shuffle from Tube station to office to restaurant and home again, all without stopping as often as we should to take note of our surroundings and consider our immense good fortune that we work [...]