Name-dropping won’t cut it: Miliband must do more to rouse his party September 23, 2014 Colin, Gareth, Elizabeth, the two young women in the local park… it sounds like the beginning of that song by The Beautiful South, which is apt, given the track was called Song for Whoever. Instead, the names were part of a list of people Ed Miliband has recently met in the street, trotted out yesterday [...]
A second look at portfolio risk: Are you really playing it safe? October 28, 2014 I’VE NEVER been a fan of the “best buy” lists published by the major fund platforms. But I always find it interesting to see what is attracting the hard-earned savings of private investors. The best-selling funds lists for September reveal the usual suspects: UK equity income, emerging markets and a couple of specific sector funds [...]
Philanthropy is like sex – every generation thinks they discovered it December 18, 2014 Two comments overheard in the last month or so indicate that in its own eyes, the City is becoming more philanthropic. Both came from 40 somethings, involved in the many giving networks for young professionals that are springing up around the Square Mile. In quiet conversation at after-event networking sessions they both commented, almost [...]
If London didn’t have a lord mayor, it would be in our interests to invent one – City Matters October 19, 2014 What is the role of the lord mayor in the twenty-first century?” It is a common question that has been posed to me and my recent predecessors countless times. The role has come a long way since the era of four-time incumbent Richard Whittington, immortalised in pantomime. Some parts have remained the same – [...]
How social media can land you a job November 23, 2014 Recruiters may be reining in their sharpest practices, but there are tricks to getting noticed. When the internet was still in its infancy 20 years ago, finding applicants for a job was all about placing an ad and waiting for the responses to come in. As recruiters, we’d then have the pain of sifting [...]
Tesco share price falls again: Chairman Sir Richard Broadbent steps down as profit overstatement is bigger than thought October 23, 2014 Shares in Tesco closed down 6.6 per cent in early afternoon trading, after the supermarket posted first-half results showing statutory profit before tax, which includes one-off items, collapsed by 91.9 per cent to £122m in the 26 weeks ended 23 August 2014. Sir Richard Broadbent, Tesco's chairman, announced he will step down, while the embattled [...]
How Labour will transform politics – and public services – by devolving more powers to London September 22, 2014 ANYONE who campaigned in the Scottish referendum felt the strength of anger directed towards Westminster. And it’s not confined to Scotland. The same anger is felt in London, Manchester and across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. People feel Westminster and Whitehall are completely out of touch with their lives. This is no surprise. Britain is [...]
Dreary month for Eurozone’s building firms August 20, 2014 THE EUROZONE’S construction sector recorded another slump in June, driven by a decline in Spain, according to official figures released yesterday. Overall, construction output dropped by 0.7 per cent from May alone, and by 2.3 per cent from the same month last year. Spain, which has seen extremely rapid growth in the construction industry over [...]
City’s Gherkin skyscraper to be sold off with £640m starting price tag July 28, 2014 The City’s iconic Gherkin has been put up for sale on the open market after it collapsed into receivership earlier this year, with a price tag of around £640m. Receivers at Deloitte have appointed their real estate arm and Savills to sell 30 St Mary’s Axe, which will be advertised to buyers across the [...]
In full: Alex Salmond’s final speech as Scottish first minister November 18, 2014 Alex Salmond made his final statement as first minister to the Scottish Parliament this afternoon, bringing to a close seven and a half years leading his country. Salmond opened his speech by saying that holding the post of first minister had been "the privilege of my life", adding that "better days" lie ahead for [...]