Business in shock as Tory leader praises business
Our next Reaction event features Iain interviewing Jesse Norman, Conservative MP and philosopher, about his new book, ‘Adam Smith: What He Thought and Why It Matters’, a dazzling new account of the great economist’s life and work.
Two intelligent voices, in the same room, talking about big ideas – if you like the sound of that, come along on Monday July 9th.
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If any government was in need of some form of guiding philosophy, leadership, or just some new ideas, it is this May administration. Today, a Conservative Prime Minister had to reassure business that the Tories were still on their side. Not according to Boris, who was reported to have said ‘F*** business’ at a diplomatic gathering last week, in response to Airbus’s concerns over a lack of clarity on Brexit.
By the way, if you’re interested in some seriously impressive analysis of where we are with Brexit and some real solutions to the current mess, read George Bridges, former Brexit minister, in Reaction today.
Here’s May’s rather anaemic reassurance, speaking at the Times CEO summit today: “A Conservative government will always listen to your voice and back you every step of the way as you help grow our economy and create more good jobs.” Tories? On the side of enterprise? Whatever next?
In business news, Uber won back its right to operate in London after agreeing to various changes in the way drivers report crime. I am ambivalent about Uber. At the top, it’s clearly a not very nice company that treats national jurisdictions with enormous contempt. But as a whole, it would be so hard on the drivers who rely on it for their livelihood to be deprived of their labour in the short-term. I take Ubers and black cabs, roughly half the time each: an uber if I want to speak to a chirpy engineering graduate from Bosnia; a black cab if I’m desperate for an insight into the world of politics.
If Mayism in the UK can seem to be a kind of discursive vacuum, then leadership Trumpian style basically knows what it’s about: America First and to hell with the consequences. The US Supreme Court today upheld Trump’s travel ban which prohibited entry from several Muslim-majority countries including Iran, Libya and Syria. He said he would do it; he’s done it. Take him seriously and literally.
There are of course legitimate security concerns about immigration from parts of the world that are in serious turmoil – but this is obviously not a serious response to those concerns. It’s about putting a Bannon-style Trumpian two fingered salute at the very orthodoxies on human rights, international order and asylum that America was itself instrumental in creating.
John McCain called America, in a speech towards the end of last year, the “best hope of earth … a land made of ideals, not of blood and soil.” Sorry, John. This is not your America anymore.
Alastair Benn
News editor