EDITION 1022
3 JUNE 2024

Trust in governments is falling everywhere. But, according to the OECD, British people’s trust in government is among the lowest. Last week, I asked if we put too much trust in our institutions and 100% of my readership said, yes. With the battle lines drawn for the impending election, political trust may need to take centre stage. One surprising idea to emerge is the government's plan to bring back national service if re-elected. So this week, I ask: Is this a last minute election gimmick or a good idea? You can share your views in item four below.

As another week slips by, here are 10 things which caught my attention and may have escaped yours. Please feel free to share on social media and forward to your colleagues and friends so they can also subscribe, learn and engage. I would be very grateful if you did.

Before you dive in, remember our POTENTIAL workbook [see below] is on offer for only £99. This unique workbook will help guide your organisation to its highest potential. Contact us today to start your transformation.

William Montgomery
Editor and CEO of TEN

1. How to show your strength as a leader. Competence can be established by virtue of the position you hold, your reputation, and your actual performance. But your presence matters too. Fortunately, you don’t need to be the master of self-esteem to appear confident. READ MORE

2. Election TV debates. The BBC has announced its line-up of televised general election debates, which will start this week and include what is likely to be the final head-to-head clash between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer before polling day. The series of programmes will begin on Friday 7 June, with a show involving seven-parties hosted by Mishal Husain. Then, on 20 June, the leaders of the country's four biggest political parties will be involved in a two-hour Question Time programme presented by Fiona Bruce. Sophie Raworth will moderate a debate between the prime minister and Labour's leader on 26 June. There will be additional dedicated debates in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. The election takes place on 4 July. BBC

3. The mood is one of cautious optimism. The outlook for the global economy is improving, according to a survey of more than 60 chief economists. Just 17% predict a worsening economic environment this year, compared with 56% who had a gloomy outlook back in January. The economists strike a note of 'cautious optimism,' despite ongoing disruptive factors including geopolitical tensions, which 97% say will have an impact on the global economy in 2024. 83% also say domestic politics should create volatility in a year when half the world votes in an election. 69% doubt that AI will be a source of volatility this year. 97% of economists expect moderate or stronger growth in the US this year, but 69% predict weak or very weak growth in Europe. Globally, inflation is projected to settle at 5.9% in 2024, and fall to 4.5% in 2025. World Economic Forum

4. The case for national service. Twelve months of mandatory national service would be reintroduced by the Conservatives if they win the general election. Eighteen-year-olds would be able to apply for one of 30,000 full-time military placements or volunteering one weekend a month carrying out a community service. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he believed bringing back compulsory service across the UK would help foster the "national spirit" that emerged during the pandemic. Labour criticised the plans, expected to cost about £2.5bn, as "desperate" and "unfunded". The Conservatives want the first teenagers to take part in a pilot from September 2025, with details to be worked out by a Royal Commission. An election gimmick or a good idea? Please share your views in our latest poll. VOTE HERE

5. UK housing market supply increases. The UK property market's chronic shortage of houses is showing signs of reversal. The supply of homes for sale has reached an eight-year high as more homeowners put their properties on the market. However, nearly a third of these listings are from sellers who had previously failed to find a buyer last year. Despite high mortgage rates deterring some buyers recently, data shows that sales agreed are 13% higher than this time last year as rates are expected to come down. The increased supply could help keep house prices affordable, though prices are expected to remain largely flat over 2024. While the election announcement may temporarily stall new sales, experts do not anticipate a major impact overall as the main parties' policies are similar on housing matters. Zoopla

6. The words “since 1997” will be hard to avoid. The Tories face their biggest polling deficit since 1997. This is the first Conservative government to trail Labour on the economy since 1997. The share of voters saying it’s time for a change is the highest since 1997; and the incumbent Government is the most unpopular since 1997. Yet Labour’s dismal performance in the 2019 general election means that it must gain 150 more seats in order to reach the 326 needed even for a working majority of one. That’s a “massive mountain to climb” and will require Labour to secure the biggest swing since – yes - 1997. The Guardian

7. UK has most expensive diesel in Europe. UK drivers are paying the most for diesel in all of Europe, according to car and breakdown services company the RAC. The average cost for a litre of diesel is 155p, 5p more expensive than the second highest average amount of 150p a litre paid in Ireland and Belgium. Unleaded costs aren't as comparatively high, only the 11th most expensive in Europe at an average of 149p. While the long-term average margin fuel is sold for has been 8p a litre, it's now at 18p a litre. There is "no good reason" for the high diesel price or for retailers in the UK not to cut prices at the pumps, the RAC said. Sky News

8. Skin cancer rates hit record high. Skin cancer rates have hit a record high in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK (CRUK). New cases rose by almost a third between 2007-2009 and 2017-2019 from 21 in every 100,000 people to 28. Among the over-80s, figures rose by 57%, while melanoma diagnoses went up by 7% in the 25-49 age group. CRUK expects nearly 21,000 cases to be diagnosed this year in the UK, with around 17,000 of these being preventable. It is believed the increase in cases among older people is due to a lower degree of awareness around sun safety, and to the boom in package sun holidays among this generation. The majority of melanoma cases are a result of excess exposure to sunlight. BBC

9. Evening Standard axes daily print edition. The Evening Standard newspaper has announced plans to drop its daily print edition and go weekly. The London paper launched in its original incarnation in 1827 and became free of charge in 2009. The paper's circulation has dropped from 850,000 to 275,000 in the past five years, and it has lost £84.5m over the latest six years. Twelve million people access the Standard's digital platforms every month, with half of that traffic coming from outside London and overseas. The company has not given details of any job losses. BBC

10. The bottom line. People who are overweight or obese are significantly more likely to have to take time off work for health reasons, a study has found. Analysis of data on more than 122,000 people from across Europe revealed that those who were overweight, with a BMI of 25 to 30, had a 22% higher chance of having taken at least seven days off work in the past year; people who were mildly obese, with a BMI of 30 to 35, were 38% more likely to have been off work, increasing to 52% for those with a BMI of 35 to 40, and 121% for those with a BMI of more than 40. Sky News