Migration concerns in the UK The cost of the UK’s asylum system has jumped to almost £4 billion in the last 12 months as a result of record backlog and processing issues. The costs have been exacerbated by a rise in asylum seekers awaiting initial decision with 134,046 cases still under review (35% rise compared to last year). This backlog has proved to be extremely costly with over £6 million is being spent per day accommodating asylum ...

We are delighted to introduce are newest members Springy, InPress, Westander, Astute Electronics, EMEA Recruitment. Springy operates as a dynamic marketplace, connecting local businesses with professionals in need of workspaces. By doing so, it not only helps businesses optimise costs but also opens up new audiences. Through an intuitive platform, Springy simplifies the workspace search, promoting collaboration and innovation. This approach transforms Springy into a growth catalyst, bridging businesses and workspace seekers while nurturing connections in a ...

Every Tuesday we will be welcoming members to our office for a breakfast catch up. During the breakfast we look forward to learning more about your industries and what we can do to support, promote and refer you to relevant members. This is a great opportunity to make sure you get the most out of your membership whilst enjoying a lovely breakfast. Please feel free to send an email to ...

On 27 June Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström and British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly participated in a public seminar, sharing their perspectives on the current security challenges facing Northern Europe. The Foreign Ministers reflected on the consequences of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and how it has impacted Anglo-Swedish cooperation in the fields of foreign and security policy. They also addressed Sweden’s path to NATO membership, the support for Ukraine, ...

Bank of England Raises Interest Rates The Bank of England (BoE) has increased interest rates to 5.0% following a widely unexpected 50bps raise. Andrew Bailey, the BoE governor, outlined his commitment to using monetary policy to reduce inflation and stated that “We’re not expecting, we’re not desiring a recession, but we will do what is necessary to bring inflation down to target”. This now represents the UK’s highest interest rate since ...

Chancellor Commits To AI Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, has pushed for ministers to seize the opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI). The objective is to save money, boost underperforming growth rates and reignite public services. The deputy at the Treasury is now undertaking a report (due before the Autumn Statement) on raising public service productivity with a special focus upon accelerating the implementation of AI. In the long-term, the chancellor believes that ...

Ahead of the long-awaited summer holidays, we have asked Senior Associate Rebecca Farkhooy from our member and patron Eversheds Sutherland law firm to provide us with a few employment issues to keep on the radar as we step into the second half of the year. Hybrid working is here to stay – but many employers are requiring office attendance again. What are your legal rights and internal policies for this as ...