Back to work Monday? Perhaps a four day week is good for all of us January 16, 2021 The idea of moving to a four-day working week has grown in popularity and momentum since Covid, and we’re beginning to see signs that British businesses are warming towards the prospect. Awin, a leading online marketing firm, is currently undertaking one of the biggest trials yet, with their 1,000 strong workforce – including 300 based [...]
Supermarket heavyweights the Co-op and Waitrose face mounting pressure to return business rates relief December 4, 2020 High street titans the Co-op Group and Waitrose are facing mounting pressure to follow their peers and hand back millions of pounds of business rates relief dished out to keep the companies afloat during the pandemic. The Co-op is facing growing disquiet from members after refusing to emulate rivals Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Aldi, [...]
Covid crisis could slash wages by ‘£1,200 a year’ by 2025 November 26, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic will prolong Britain’s 15-year squeeze on household incomes and cut pay by £1,200 a year by 2025, according to a major think tank. In a stark report released today, the Resolution Foundation warned that despite politicians proclaiming an end to austerity, “its legacy will continue for many public services” throughout the course [...]
Sunak’s tough choices: a sobering assessment November 25, 2020 Rishi Sunak’s spending review was a sobering assessment of not only the challenges facing the UK economy, but also the enormous economic damage created by the pandemic and the numerous lockdowns around the country, with the budget deficit for 2020 expected to come in at £394bn. The Chancellor said that the UK economy was likely [...]
Spending review live: Sunak pledges cash for city centres and transport but aid and public sector pay cut November 25, 2020 Spending review live: Sunak pledges cash for city centres and transport but aid and public sector pay cut
We need business to help us get girls learning — and change the world November 17, 2020 Coronavirus has changed the world. We are facing the biggest triple threat of our lifetimes, with unprecedented economic, health and education crises. While there has been much focus on the first two, the latter cannot be overlooked. At the height of school closures due to coronavirus, 1.6 billion children were out of school globally with [...]
Some 19,000 jobs for 16-24s created under government Kickstart Scheme November 12, 2020 More than 19,000 placements for unemployed young people have been created under the government’s £2 billion Kickstart Scheme so far. The Kickstart Scheme began last week and, according to HMRC, is expected to produce “tens of thousands” more placements in the coming months. The scheme provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to [...]
Business bodies slam government’s TfL bailout conditions as a ‘mockery’ October 21, 2020 London business bodies have slammed the government’s demands for a potential bailout for Transport for London (TfL) as a “mockery”, accusing ministers of “railroading” policy through while the transport network is on its knees during the pandemic. Ministers last night threatened to take direct control of TfL unless London mayor Sadiq Khan accepts a raft [...]
PM threatens to ‘intervene’ over Manchester’s Tier 3 lockdown refusal October 16, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged Manchester’s mayor Andy Burnham to “reconsider” his opposition to new coronavirus restrictions, and said he would “intervene” if progress in talks is not made. Burnham has resisted the government’s plans to put Manchester under “high alert”, meaning it would face the tightest restrictions. The Labour mayor has argued that [...]
Coronavirus: London escapes new restrictions, but City Hall says it won’t last October 12, 2020 London will not have any new Covid restrictions imposed on it, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson today outlined a new three-tier alert system. However, Sadiq Khan has warned this could change within days. London will be put into the lowest level category, medium risk, meaning that the current restrictions will remain the same. Read more: [...]