Immigration is good news for highly-skilled workers August 14, 2015 Immigration is one of the most major policy concerns in the UK. It dominated the agendas of political parties in the run up to the General Election, while the debate about the cap for visas of non-EU skilled immigrants continues to rage on. And according to the July Economist/Ipsos Mori index, 42 per cent of the [...]
A smoking ban in pub beer gardens? Stop persecuting smokers August 13, 2015 It should now be clear to anyone who still needs confirmation that secondhand smoke was only ever the excuse, rather than the reason, for the 2007 smoking ban. Its real objective, indeed the objective of all anti-smoking policies, was to harass, stigmatise and inconvenience smokers. This is a system known as ‘denormalisation’ in the field [...]
A Level results 2015: A lesson in why they aren’t crucial for career success from Dave Trott August 13, 2015 In advertising, lots of the really great people didn’t do A levels. They quit school and started work. They were hustlers, doers, they didn’t want to waste their time memorising things and writing essays.They were in a hurry. They wanted to be working, earning money. That was their A levels. They started in the post-room [...]
Delaying the Night Tube will be another nail in the coffin for London’s night time economy August 13, 2015 A few weeks ago we launched Feast, a late night food delivery service for London, which operates between 11pm and 5am. We knew launching in the summer would be hard given the number of people away on holiday, and the fact the city tends to slow down as a result. But that would all [...]
August 2015 TfL Tube strike: London must have a Night Tube if it’s to keep its status as a global capital August 13, 2015 Once again, millions of Londoners are suffering travel chaos after the unions convinced London Underground staff to strike. The strike has been called in response to plans for weekend all-night running on some Tube lines. Those plans involve staff getting a two per cent pay rise and bonuses on top worth hundreds of pounds. [...]
What’s in a name? Why Google’s transition to Alphabet is great news for investors August 13, 2015 Companies change names and rebrand when they wish to turn over a new leaf, or refresh their perception amongst key stakeholders. Some work, some don’t – just think about Britain’s Royal Mail and its short-lived rebranding to “Consignia”. That name change quickly got lost in the post. And remember PwC’s abortive attempt to switch to [...]
Consumers, beware the consequences of blocking ads August 13, 2015 Blocking the ads we see on the Internet may sound like a very appealing prospect to many readers, but the reality is that there are long-term consequences that the majority of people simply aren't aware of. People don’t expect to pay to access to internet services they so dearly love, such as Facebook, Twitter, emails, [...]
Work-life balance: There is no wealth but life – and work needs to fit in around that August 13, 2015 Work-life balance has become a common buzzphrase, especially with the ongoing Tube strikes, supposedly sparked by the changes the Night Tube will cause to Tube workers' home and social lives. Like all clichés, it has its roots in something really crucial – but it is my belief that the concept is becoming redundant. Simply [...]
Death of clubbing? Why that’s bad news for the UK’s night time economy August 12, 2015 The UK’s late night sector, its bars, live music venues and nightclubs, is rightly recognised as one of the most vibrant and progressive in the world. The sector forms an integral part of the UK’s cultural zeitgeist and has provided a breeding ground for much of this country’s world-renowned musical talent. Our nightclubs and venues [...]
Greek debt crisis: The bailout alone will not save Greece now and time is running out for Alexis Tsipras August 12, 2015 A significant step forward was achieved yesterday, with the technical agreement fleshing out the €85bn deal made by Greece and its Eurozone partners last month. The three-year plan involves some 35 measures, from further taxes and cuts, to reforms and privatisations, lowering of pensions and farmer subsidies, to rises in retirement age and VAT rates [...]