Theresa May has issued a cautious defence of the national living wage after businesses called on the government to moderate increases August 8, 2016 Downing Street has issued a cautious response to business demands for a delay in the implementation of the national living wage. Business groups including the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) wrote to business and energy secretary Greg Clark to call for targets for the programme to be pushed back. The national living wage is aimed at [...]
Former chancellor George Osborne is responsible for turning the minimum wage into a political football August 4, 2016 Last summer, then-chancellor George Osborne unveiled his first post-coalition, true-blue Budget – and with it, a big jump in the minimum wage. This somewhat confusing re-brand saw the minimum wage become the “National Living Wage” (NLW), which Osborne decided would jump from £6.50 an hour to £7.20, and keep rising to £9 in time for the [...]
Petition to block M&S’ pay cut plans draws over 20,000 signatures in three days July 29, 2016 Pressure is mounting on M&S' chief executive Steve Rowe to cancel a pay cut for his staff as an online petition to block the plan has received nearly 20,000 signatures in three days. The company is consulting its staff over cutting premium pay on Sundays, and cuts to pay for bank holidays and employees working at anti-social hours, which could [...]
Number of retail jobs is falling as workers face pay cuts July 28, 2016 Staff have become the casualties of the fierce competition and tough economic conditions facing the retail sector. The number of full-time jobs in retail fell by 2.4 per cent compared to the same quarter last year, according to a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Read more: M&S accused of threatening to sack staff who reject new [...]
Hermes must stamp out its negative brand image July 27, 2016 As the online shopping boom has evolved, companies providing ad hoc deliveries have expanded quickly. However, this growth may have come at a price. A probe by the Guardian into parcel company Hermes underlines the impact of the ‘gig economy’ on workers across several industries. The paper’s investigation suggests that workers were, on occasion, effectively [...]
Nobody wins from a house price crash July 21, 2016 The full effects of the referendum on Britain’s economy are still unknown. Stocks are faring relatively well, with the FTSE 100 bursting over 6,700 and the FTSE 250 hitting a post-vote high. The pound remains slumped below $1.32, however, while consumer confidence appears to have taken a tangible knock. Many business leaders are worried, and some [...]
Uber’s heading to the UK courts over workers’ rights July 20, 2016 Uber and its drivers will head to court today to battle it out in a legal case over workers' rights. The hearing at an employment tribunal is due to begin in London and is expected to rule on the status of some Uber drivers in the first case of its kind in the UK. The action [...]
“It has not been an easy journey”: David Cameron’s final speech in full July 13, 2016 David Cameron delivered his final speech on the steps of 10 Downing Street as he departed today. Here's the full text of his final words. Read more: Cameron pays tribute to the UK's "spirit of service" "When I first stood here in Downing Street on that evening in May 2010, I said we would confront [...]
David Cameron pays tribute to the armed forces as he leaves Downing Street for the final time July 13, 2016 In his final address as Prime Minister, David Cameron has paid tribute to the work of Britain's armed forces and volunteers as he reflected on the achievements of his government, before heading to Buckingham Palace to formally tender his resignation. Cameron will be replaced as Prime Minister by Theresa May later today. “The spirit of [...]
Apprenticeships just don’t look right to Londoners July 13, 2016 The mums and dads of London are the least likely to want their offspring picking up an apprenticeship, a survey released today has found. The research by YouGov on behalf of Reed in Partnership and qualifications body NCFE asked 2,042 UK adults if they had an 18-year-old child what they thought the best option for their future [...]