Sprint communications

While there's light at the end of the tunnel for many British businesses after months of lockdown, there's some familiar favourites that will never return to the High Street. Many businesses have been told they could reopen on April 12 if the government reaches its Covid vaccination target, as part of Boris Johnson's plan to get the country out of restrictions. Hairdressers, salons, clothing outlets and many small, local businesses such as florists will be able to trade again after more than three months of closures. But for many towns and communities, the high street will never be the same again as one by one big chains that have been part of Britain's culture have fallen under the pressure of the pandemic. Some struggling brands will return to the high street but others will now operate online-only. Paperchase is closing 27 stores while Jaeger, John Lewis, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Bonmarché, Hays Travel and Prezzo will reduce their store counts. Sir Philip Green's … [Read more...] about High street favourites that won’t re-open in April as Covid closes iconic chains forever

Soaring unemployment is Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak refusing to inoculate communities against miserable joblessness. Enthusiastic Government propaganda about a vaccine bounce back ignores lengthening dole queues officially forecast to stretch to 2.6million in a return to the misery of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. Others predict a total already up to 1.72m will climb even higher, particularly if the job-saving furlough scheme isn’t extended beyond the end of April when some lockdown restrictions will remain in place. Updated unemployment figures will be released by the Office for Budget Responsibility with next month’s Budget yet the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer brushing over lost livelihoods in their recovery propaganda is telling. Joblessness is a price that Tory Governments traditionally accept is worth paying by other people, twisting the knife by goading those in work to resent the workless relying on benefits to survive. Gordon Brown, a Labour … [Read more...] about ‘Boris Johnson’s response to unemployment crisis is criminally inadequate’

The government and private sector should forge a new partnership to fuel a post-pandemic recovery that could include greater financial contributions from businesses to aid policy reforms, some of Britain's leading bosses have told Boris Johnson. Sky News has seen an open letter sent to the prime minister by the COVID Recovery Commission, a group set up last year that is chaired by the Tesco chairman, John Allan, and includes top executives from AstraZeneca, Heathrow Airport, Shell and Vodafone. In it, the executives acknowledge that building a "stronger, fairer and more resilient" economy will involve "a recognition that business's place in the 21st century will be to serve more than just shareholders". The letter will be accompanied by the publication of a report on Friday - Building Back Together - in which the Commission raises the prospect of private sector employers investing more into a more effective apprenticeship scheme than the widely criticised Apprenticeship … [Read more...] about Forge new post-COVID partnership with business, bosses urge Johnson

Britons are more likely than any other nationality to take up the offer of a coronavirus vaccine - while the French are the most sceptical. A global survey conducted in mid-January about vaccinations against COVID-19 found that around 81% of UK respondents said they would get their jabs. In France, just 44% of respondents said the same. Second most likely were the Danes at 79%, followed by 70% of Dutch people. Japan, Singapore and Germany showed weaker confidence - although they were still more willing than the French - with 46%, 48% and 54% of participants respectively saying they would get inoculated. Coronavirus vaccines head-to-head The research, carried out by Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) and YouGov, is part of a global monitoring project on attitudes toward the vaccines. Advertisement It looked at 15 countries, mostly in Europe and did not include the USA or any countries in South America … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Britons most likely to take up vaccine offer, while French remain sceptical

Serco's decision to pay an annual dividend has been criticised by Sir Keir Starmer after the company's revenues were boosted by £350m from Test and Trace. The Labour leader said it was "outrageous" that the outsourcing giant was resuming pay-outs to shareholders after its results showed income lifted by the much-criticised programme. Serco's annual profits rose 89% to £153m as revenues climbed by £636m, or 20%, to £2.88bn. Chief executive Rupert Soames said it was the right time to resume pay-outs to investors - at 1.4p a share or around £17m overall - after it shored up its financial position and repaid government COVID support. Shares rose 3%. Mr Soames also played down the impact of the pandemic in lifting profits and revealed that the company was paying £5m extra to 50,000 frontline staff to recognise the "intense pressure" they had faced. Advertisement But Labour leader Sir Keir said in a tweet: "Taxpayers' money shouldn't be given to … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Serco criticised for paying dividend after £350m Test and Trace boost