Spectator Briefings
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A manifesto for the financial crime challenges facing the next government
As we approach the final days of the UK general election campaign, it is crucial to consider the robustness of our financial system. This isn’t about tax policies or government spending, but the regulations and safeguards necessary to combat financial crime and protect people’s savings. Our team collaborates with more than 1,000 companies globally to
Urgent action is required to address pensions adequacy
Since its introduction just over a decade ago, automatic enrolment has undoubtedly transformed retirement savings in the UK, allowing millions of workers to effortlessly save for their future. Some 22.6 million people now contribute to a workplace pension, an increase of 47 per cent before auto enrolment’s inception in 2012. That is a significant achievement.
Where next for pensions auto-enrolment?
Since its introduction just over a decade ago, automatic enrolment has undoubtedly transformed retirement savings in the UK, allowing millions of workers to effortlessly save for their future. Some 22.6 million people now contribute to a workplace pension, an increase from 47 per cent prior to auto enrolment’s inception in 2012. That is a significant
Adani Green Energy accelerates decarbonisation of India’s grid by developing world’s largest renewable energy project
With India’s economy due to grow almost 7 per cent this year and an environmental necessity for clean energy, the country urgently needs to decarbonise its energy system at scale. The dual challenge of satisfying the rising demand for energy while ensuring a cleaner and greener future requires extraordinary ambition and scope. Adani Green Energy
Joining forces
It is a cold evening in the picturesque Dorset town of Sherborne. The Sherborne Astroturf pitch twinkles, diamonds of condensed fog glinting on its blue surface. Through the mist drifts the low chatter of girls and boys, smartly attired in military fatigues and readying for the sternest test of their cadet lives. This evening is
Regulating nicotine pouches is an unmissable opportunity for the government to unlock its smoke free 2030 ambition
England has a golden opportunity to be one of the very first countries globally to bring its smoking rate to below 5 per cent, thereby meeting the World Health Organisation’s definition of ‘smoke free’. The government has set itself the ambitious, and laudable, target of reaching this important milestone by 2030. At BAT we have
What could an 80s beer brand teach political leaders about reinventing your brand?
Political parties are faced with the challenge of re-inventing themselves every few years in order to reconnect with both their core voters, whilst appealing to new, and undecided ones, particularly as the clock ticks down to a General Election. It can also be a similar problem for major businesses, and their brands, as they look to
The vaping industry: time to step up
You may have recently seen billboard or newspaper adverts calling for better regulation of the vaping industry, to help combat the levels of underage vaping and the sale of illegal vapes. These are the work of BAT, the biggest vaping manufacturer based in the UK. As a FTSE 10 UK company, our call for the
Avoiding Whisky Investment Scams: The Key Considerations
In the realm of alternative investments, whisky casks have emerged as an enticing avenue, attracting both whisky connoisseurs and investors looking to own a cask of Scotland’s ‘liquid gold’. However, within this burgeoning market, a pressing question looms: which companies can I really trust? You might have seen a recent article in the Daily Mirror
Every Moment Matters: the urgent need for newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) in the UK
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a rare, genetic condition that affects around 70 babies each year, with approximately one baby being born with SMA every five days in the UK. SMA is characterised by the loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord and, if left untreated, babies affected will experience progressive muscle weakness and
Supporting everyday families, local communities and their economies
‘Airbnb was founded in the recession of 2008, but there are parallels to where we are today, and we certainly see that with hosts in the UK. As living costs continue to rise, the extra earnings from hosting on Airbnb help hosts to pay for higher mortgages, higher energy costs – whatever the bill is.
Charles Tyrwhitt is kicking off the autumn season in style with new additions to its official rugby range
Charles Tyrwhitt – the exclusive formalwear partner of England Rugby – is about to embark on its fourth year of the partnership and is kicking off the upcoming rugby season in style to celebrate. As rugby fans, Charles Tyrwhitt takes great pride in dressing the team in bespoke, perfectly fitted suits but it also offers fans
It’s Time for Major Exam Reform
A complete overhaul of the UK’s examination system is needed urgently, argues Samantha Price, headmistress at Benenden School. Clearly, the age of handwritten exams will soon come to an end – but we owe it to future generations to be far bolder than simply filling exam halls with laptops. This should be the moment that,
Half a million and counting – will the government see the potential role of nicotine pouches in getting SmokeFree 2030 back on track?
It is estimated there are more than half a million nicotine pouch users in the UK. That’s roughly the equivalent of the population of Manchester, up from zero just four years ago when nicotine pouches first became available in the UK. The increasingly popular product offers adult smokers and nicotine users an oral, tobacco-free and
Four in ten Britons confused by Energy Price Cap
With the latest energy price cap due to come in at the beginning of next month, research has revealed that 40 per cent of Britons are still confused by what the cap actually is. In addition, nearly half (44 per cent) of those surveyed are unsure of the difference between fixed rate and variable energy
Where to eat in Gran Canaria: Five unmissable culinary experiences
Around 540 miles east of the southern Morocco coast, one of the beautiful Spanish Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, ranks high among Europe’s most-loved warm-weather escapes, with long sunny days and January temperatures sometimes climbing above 20°C. Canaria’s broad range of activities range from hikes through dense pine forests and volcanic caves to opportunities to discover
Five ways to reduce the higher tax burden
A growing number of people are expected to pay higher-rate income tax in the coming years, but there are several ways to make your money work harder, from tax-efficient pensions and ISAs to tailored financial advice. Benjamin Franklin wrote: ‘In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.’ The inevitability
Latest from Coffee House
The courts will struggle to bring the rioters to justice
Violent conflict, not traditionally a feature of life in Britain, arrived with brutal force this weekend. Angry mobs targeted mosques and attacked hotels housing migrants, setting at least one on fire. Businesses were looted, and groups of men have been seen gathering in force, holding weapons and attacking others. Although more than 400 arrests have
Should civil servants be allowed to wear inappropriate clothes to work?
Does His Majesty’s Government have a policy on civil servants wearing fetish clothing in the workplace? It’s not the sort of question you’d expect to find in the rather mind-numbing list of written inquiries asked by members of the House of Lords. But Baroness Jenkin, who is still waiting for her answer to that question,
Mark Rowley’s mic grab sets a dreadful example to police officers
A Sky News reporter having his microphone grabbed and dropped to the ground might seem like a trifling story right now, given everything that’s happening in the country. But when the mic-grabber is none other than Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, it’s a different matter. A very different matter. In a democracy,
Keir Starmer slaps down Elon Musk over ‘civil war’ comment
When Rishi Sunak was prime minister, he welcomed Elon Musk as a guest of honour at the government’s AI summit, with the pair even having a fireside chat. However, the new inhabitant of No. 10 takes a different approach to the billionaire owner of X and Tesla. This afternoon, Keir Starmer’s spokesman has slapped down
The terrible error that ended Sheikh Hasina’s rule over Bangladesh
A month ago, no one in Bangladesh could ever have imagined that the country’s authoritarian prime minister Sheikh Hasina could be forcibly removed from power and sent by military helicopter out of the country to India. Least of all Hasina herself, as her party, the Awami League, controlled the police, the judiciary, and all other
It’s not surprising Russia wants to spy on Britain
The British Army’s Field Army Threat Handbook has warned soldiers of potential Russian espionage at UK sites where Ukrainian military personnel are being trained. Possible methods identified include ‘the use of remotely piloted aircraft systems, mobile and foot surveillance, virtual and physical approaches to training providers and interest from investigative journalists’. This is a threat