Mayoral Election: Sadiq Khan primed for a second term with odds 1/50 May 5, 2021 Looking at the odds, Ladbrokes has found that Sadiq Khan appears to be the bookies next Mayor of London, once again. The Labour candidate looks primed for a second term in City Hall with odds at an eyewatering 1/50, as his closest rival Shaun Bailey staggered behind at 25/1. No amount of money looks enough [...]
India’s latest wave worsens, accounting for nearly half of global Covid cases May 5, 2021 India accounted for one in four global Covid-19 deaths last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said today, as the UK pledged to send 1,000 ventilators in aid on Sunday. The WHO said in its weekly epidemiological report that India accounted for 46 per cent of global cases and 25 per cent of global deaths [...]
‘Freedom day’: Pub bosses wipe down the bar for a 21 June return May 5, 2021 The UK’s pub bosses are wiping the bar down for a June return, coined “freedom day”, urging prime minister Boris Johnson to stick to his roadmap for the easing of restrictions. JD Wetherspoon, Greene King, Slug & Lettuce owner Stonegate and Young’s have all expressed their intentions for a 21 June return of bar service, [...]
Future of high streets look bleak as the end of Covid-19 rent debt relief nears May 5, 2021 The future of UK high streets appears bleak today, as 71 per cent of high street businesses expect further job losses without government or landlord support, according to commercial restructuring specialists Cedar Dean. As the end of the rent moratorium approaches, 80 per cent of high street tenants still face ‘unproductive’ discussions with their landlords. [...]
High street recovery blown off course as footfall drops 6.1 per cent May 4, 2021 Wind and rain blew the high street recovery off course this week as footfall dropped 6.1 per cent, according to figures from retail insight company Springboard. The number of shoppers across all retail destinations fell by two per cent last week from the week before. Meanwhile, footfall rose by 2.8 per cent in shopping centres [...]
Covid-19 gives employees itchy feet as job hunts are on the rise May 4, 2021 Job hunts are rising for those in corporates, consultancies and start-ups, according to figures from Movemeon, as multiple lockdowns have shown bosses under a different light. A third of those working in management consultancies are looking for a new role, alongside nearly a quarter of those in private equity and venture capital (PE/VC). Employees getting [...]
Hong Kong working on ‘fake news’ laws to curb ‘misinformation’, Carrie Lam says May 4, 2021 Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam has confirmed today that her government is working on “fake news” legislation, to curb “misinformation, hatred and lies” in the city, as concerns grow over media freedoms. Since Beijing imposed the controversial national security law in 2002, Hong Kong has taken an authoritarian turn, which has forced new bouts of [...]
Former MP Luciana Berger joins Cazoo’s ESG board May 4, 2021 Online used-car retailer Cazoo has appointed former MP Luciana Berger to its board, once its $7bn merger with AJAX has been completed. Joining as a non-executive director, Berger’s political career last saw her as the Liberal Democrat shadow spokesperson for health, social care and wellbeing in 2019. Currently managing director of advocacy and public affairs [...]
Blackstone asks CEOs to take ESG matters to their boards for the first time May 4, 2021 Investment group Blackstone has asked its top private equity staff to report environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters to their boards for the first time ever. Executives in companies controlled by the group’s private equity arm will up Blackstone’s sustainability, as investors are increasingly wary of the impacts companies have on the environment and workers, according [...]
London ranked most optimistic UK city for career prospects April 30, 2021 Londoners have been crowned the most optimistic about their career prospects, according to research by LinkedIn, as the City emerges from a third national lockdown. LinkedIn’s latest research has found that 68 per cent of people in the capital are feeling optimistic about their job chances. Across the rest of the country, 61 per cent [...]