At last, Elon Musk has acquired Twitter, beating a deadline imposed by a Delaware judge by just a few hours. The “Chief Twit” joins his contemporary Jeff Bezos in the pantheon of 21st century media barons.
Now the deal is done, there’s considerable pressure to right the ship.
Read More “With Twitter under Elon Musk’s control, social media just got interesting again”
In his final prime minister’s questions, David Cameron famously observed that he had been the future once. Then he was out. Well, PM Sunak’s first cabinet shows that past performance is not necessarily an indication of future results.
His cabinet is characterised by recalls from the Cameron, May, Johnson and even Truss eras. A cabinet of all the talents, internal constituencies or conflicting factions…
At 12.37 today, the worst-kept secret in British politics was revealed. Liz Truss is the new leader of the Conservative Party. Tomorrow, she will officially be appointed Prime Minister by the Queen. Her premiership begins in crisis and the honeymoon is already over.
Was this week’s budget the work of a skilled Chancellor or a lucky one?
In truth, it was neither. As those more fluent in the machinations of party politics will recognise, it was the budget of a Chancellor who is desperate to be Prime Minister.
By Guy Corbet, Fourteen Forty
We’ve learned an awful lot about working from home. It has given many people the freedom to combine work with more family time. It has been the miracle that has kept the economy spluttering on through the lockdowns.
Many now don’t want to go back to the old normal drudgery of commuting to the office.
In the cold light of day, and in the long run, will that position really be possible to maintain? And are we seeing that company cultures are already running on fumes?
Read More “Company cultures are running on fumes: should we return to the office?”
By Gareth Streeter, Fourteen Forty
Writers of “2021 predictions” lists have indulged the temptation to be both dramatic and definitive. And they all follow one clear narrative. Covid will depart. It will leave behind it a world that is forever changed.
But does the available evidence bear this out? Or have some of our would-be futurologists over-egged the pudding?
Read More “Five 2021 predictions to ignore (or at least take with a pinch of salt)”
By James Boyd-Wallis, Fourteen Forty
New business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng MP is on paper one of the most pro-free enterprise ministers to run the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in years.
Read More “What business wants to see from the new business secretary”
The vaccine is enabling politicians, business and the public to contemplate a return to normal. But, as the Chancellor says, “the economic emergency is just beginning”.
So, how can businesses and brands adapt to and benefit from the changes in consumer behaviour? What should they do to prepare their people and their workplaces for the return? How can we tackle late payments for good?
We hope you enjoy this edition of Weak Links and we wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
By Alex Smith, managing director of The Story
“Everyone needs to eat, so we’ll be fine” – words we have often repeated to comfort ourselves in the dark moments of this year’s crisis while running our small food and drink agency.
By Guy Corbet, Fourteen Forty
Small businesses, not taxpayer handouts and public works, will be at the heart of economic recovery. They will start up, create jobs, build, grow and bristle with vitality.
