I helped write the manifesto — and now our skills agenda is more important than ever June 16, 2020 With Britain now facing economic challenges that were inconceivable just a few months ago, it’s worth reflecting on some of the ideas we will need to spur economic recovery in today’s very different world — including from the manifesto we wrote before the December 2019 election. I remember vividly that collective sense of elation as [...]
Artificial intelligence: people – not robots – are in the driving seat December 15, 2020 Like it or not, artificial intelligence (AI) is already part of our daily lives. From smartphones to Alexa virtual assistants, AI and its applications are accepted norms today.While we appreciate that AI can automate repetitive workplace tasks or even drive a car, its implications are much further reaching. Luminaries including Elon Musk and Bill Gates [...]
Intu sees rent payments dive amid UK coronavirus crisis March 26, 2020 Struggling retail landlord Intu has received less than a third of rent due for its second quarter as retailers struggle to pay the bills amid the UK coronavirus crisis. That forced it to abandon 2020 guidance as its incredibly low shares dropped three per cent to under 4p. The government has ordered almost all shops [...]
Crossrail 2 may already be facing delays, says Sadiq Khan January 16, 2020 Crossrail 2 may have been delayed before government approval has even been given, according to Sadiq Khan. The £41.3bn rail project – a new Tube line running from North to South London – is in limbo as it awaits for the Department for Transport (DfT) to deliberate on its business plan. Under the current funding [...]
Carillion two years on: ‘Misery’ as major hospitals in Liverpool and Birmingham still unfinished January 17, 2020 The government has faced yet another round of criticism for its handling of the collapse of outsourcer Carillion, more than two years after the company failed – this time over two hospitals it was building when it went bust. The government spending watchdog said in a report that the hospitals, in Liverpool and the west [...]
RSA beats expectations on record year for underwriting profit February 27, 2020 RSA posted a record year for underwriting profit as the insurance giant beat analyst expectations for 2019 after restructuring its international business. The figures The British firm posted an operating profit of £656m, up from £517m in 2018 and ahead of forecasts of £644m. A record year for underwriting profit was the main driver of [...]
Railway bodies call on government for rolling electrification programme February 19, 2020 The railway industry has written to transport secretary Grant Shapps calling for the government to begin a constant process of electrifying the UK’s rail networks or risk missing its 2040 decarbonisation goal. The open letter notes that although electrification is the only means to meet the target, once the Midlands mainline has been electrified, there [...]
Coronavirus: Almost 40 per cent of UK firms expect to cut staff April 28, 2020 Roughly 40 per cent of UK firms expect to lay off staff over the next 12 months, a survey has shown, raising the prospect of many more job cuts in the UK economy. UK unemployment has already surged as coronavirus lockdown measures cause businesses to close or cut costs significantly. Close to 1m people made [...]
Extending the lockdown could have deadly consequences March 29, 2020 A week into what began as a three-week lockdown, the goalposts have been moved. Government ministers and health officials spent the weekend recalibrating expectations, making it clear that people must be prepared for these unprecedented measures to last into June, perhaps longer. The message from the government is that the measures cannot be lifted until [...]
Crypto AM shines its Spotlight on INX October 28, 2020 Trailblazers In Unchartered Territory: INX, The First SEC-Registered Token IPO INX Limited is enabling the future of finance by creating a new asset class; with higher flexibility and innovative functionality for asset listings, trading and governance. We are witnessing change across all industries in this post-pandemic world, and capital markets are no exception. Security tokens [...]