London mayor Boris Johnson’s trade mission helped by $40m investment in life sciences and technology companies February 10, 2015 Boris Johnson's most recent trade mission was helped by news of a $40m (£26m) investment from two US companies yesterday, boosting the capital's reputation for cultivating life science and technology industries. The London mayor is currently on a US trade mission in a bid to attract investments for British businesses. Heavy snowfall means he's currently [...]
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will bring up China’s human rights record at Buckingham Palace state dinner October 14, 2015 Leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn is planning to voice concerns over China's human rights record at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace next week. The Labour leader will be "using the opportunity" of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the UK to raise the issue, and will attempt to set up a private meeting, a [...]
Industry groups welcome George Osborne’s promise on local authorities’ funds October 6, 2015 Industry groups have largely welcomed chancellor George Osborne’s promise to give "power to the people" by handing local authorities control over £26bn in revenues from business rates, fuelling speculation that Osborne is the front-runner to be the next Conservative leader. In a surprise announcement in his speech at the Conservative party conference in Manchester yesterday, [...]
How London can get the infrastructure it needs – but without the bureaucracy March 24, 2015 Infrastructure looms large in the life of every Londoner. Even though it’s probably not at the forefront of our minds as we check our emails and fill up the kettle each morning, we depend on quality, reliable infrastructure day in, day out. And it’s just as important for the capital’s businesses. They need it to [...]
Mipim 2015: How many people from your local council are attending property’s annual knees-up in Cannes? March 11, 2015 This week, 25,000-odd property developers, agents and investors have descended on Cannes for a week of networking, deal-making and partying at Mipim, property's annual get-together. The event is notorious for its boozy parties, as delegates toast their success in the bars lining the seafront, aboard yachts in the town's marinas, or in villas in the [...]
World’s longest urban trampoline to bounce back? Bounceway “could still be crowdfunded”, says TfL January 21, 2015 This is one opportunity London's transport boss didn't jump at. Having bounced the idea around, "the world's longest open air trampoline" has been turned down by Sir Peter Hendy, the man holding Transport for London's (TfL) purse strings. But that doesn't necessarily mean the dream is over: the group behind the "Bounceway" is still mulling [...]
China’s economic slowdown will hit London’s property market hard October 15, 2015 Despite the Chinese government’s market engineering over the last few months, there have been further signs that the Chinese economy is undergoing a significant cooling. As Chinese inflation and purchasing power continue to drag, analysts now worry that the rate of growth is far below the government’s prediction, in the range of 5.5 to six [...]
It’s time investors got behind our world-beating creative industries November 18, 2015 Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the UK last month was largely overshadowed by concerns regarding his country’s impact on Britain’s steel industry. Even so, almost £40bn worth of trade and investment deals were announced during the visit, yet one significant part of the UK economy was overlooked in the commentary: the creative industries [...]
Seven points to ponder from Jeremy Corbyn’s alternative to the northern powerhouse October 26, 2015 Jeremy Corbyn has been under pressure from more moderate Labour politicians for his economic plans, but what does he want to achieve in his desire to see the North returned to a "great engine of prosperity" and how would he do it? Here are the seven things to take from Corbyn’s “Northern Future” proposals. The [...]
London mayor Boris Johnson backs paid internships in London at national minimum wage, “if not the London Living Wage” March 5, 2015 London mayor Boris Johnson has backed calls to take action on the scourge of unpaid internships blighting the prospects of young people in the capital. It's understood to be the first time the mayor has outlined his position on the issue, saying he supported paid internships and encouraged businesses employing interns to pay at least [...]