EDITION 984
28 AUGUST 2023

There is no escaping it: too much news is bad for you. It should come with a government health warning: “This intellectual diet is fine taken in small doses, and preferably in weekly instalments, via a well-balanced newsletter, such as 10 things from William Montgomery."

So, 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.

William Montgomery
Editor and CEO of TEN

1. How to win over your new boss. The experience of getting a new boss can be fraught with anxiety and risk. Uncertainties abound when someone new takes the reins - but you have a role to play in taming them. READ MORE

2. 16% pay rise prompts calls for reform. The government has called for “more moderation” when it comes to pay, and the Bank of England has warned against “unsustainable” rises. Clearly, FTSE 100 boards haven’t got the message. According to research from the High Pay Centre, the bosses of Britain’s 100 largest listed companies collected an average pay rise of 16% (or £500,000) last year, taking their median pay to £3.91m. Some of the biggest hitters made much more, thanks to performance-related bonuses and share awards. Leading the pack was the pharma boss of AstraZeneca, who took home £15.3m. The Guardian

3. Labour more popular among female voters. Labour has opened up a huge lead over the Tories among women voters, many of whom are turning to Labour because they feel financially insecure after 13 years of Conservative rule, a new report says today. According to a poll by YouGov people, Labour now has a 28-point lead over the Tories among women, compared with a 21-point advantage among men. 60% of women who say they’re “very worried” about their finances plan to vote Labour, six times more than intend to vote Conservative. The Guardian

4. Airport with highest crime rate revealed. Luton Airport was the UK airport with the highest number of reported crimes per passenger in 2022, according to a study. Based on data from Freedom of Information requests, Luton reported 959 crimes throughout the year, amounting to 7.2 crimes per 100,000 passengers. Manchester Airport, Glasgow, Newcastle and Heathrow make up the rest of the top five. The airports with the lowest crime rates per passenger were Leeds Bradford Airport and Edinburgh. Daily Mail

5. Consumers perk up as inflation cools. British consumers became more optimistic this month as lower inflation and rising wages improved outlooks on personal finances, a GfK survey showed. The consumer confidence index rose to -25 in August, up from -30 in July – the biggest increase since April but still below the long-term average of -10. Those who earn more than £50,000 a year have driven the rebound in consumer confidence over the last year, though this has slowed in recent months. In contrast to the GfK data, CBI figures showed a deepening slump in spending from UK consumers as retail activity fell for a fourth consecutive month in August, reaching its lowest level since March 2021. The Guardian

6. Sunak not credited with inflation drop. Rishi Sunak has won little credit from voters for reducing inflation, according to a new poll. The researchers found that only 8% of voters credited government policy for the fall in inflation, which dropped to 6.8% last month, according to data revealed last week. The prime minister said that the latest figures showed his “plan is working” but the poll suggests that the most commonly believed reason for the fall in inflation is other factors such as global oil and gas prices. The Times

7. MPs’ payments doubled. Payments for MPs who lose their seats or step aside at the next election will be doubled. At the last election, MPs who lost their seats were paid for two months but the body that sets the rules for MPs’ expenses said the time period should be increased to four months. Eligibility for the payments has also been expanded to include those who voluntarily stand down at the election. The decision means the taxpayer will be “stung for millions more in farewell payments”. The Telegraph

8. UK risks ‘tidal wave’ of heart disease. Britain faces a “tidal wave” of heart disease due to a dependence on ultra-processed food that is causing harm similar to smoking, according to two new studies. Experts warned that more than half of the British diet is linked to heart attacks and strokes. Campaigners said the findings, presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Amsterdam, must act as a “wake-up call” for the government. Meanwhile, healthy, fresh produce is almost impossible to find in poorer areas of Britain. The Mirror

9. It’s not all bad news. It has long been touted that 10,000 steps a day is the magic number you need to stay fit and healthy - but a new study shows fewer than 5,000 may be enough to see a benefit. The analysis of more than 226,000 people around the world showed 4,000 was enough to start reducing the risk of dying prematurely of any cause. Just over 2,300 is enough to benefit the heart and blood vessels. The more you do, the more health benefits are seen, researchers said. Every extra 1,000 steps beyond the 4,000 reduced the risk of dying early by 15% up to 20,000 steps. BBC

10. The bottom line Women do about 60% more  unpaid work – such as cooking, childcare, and housework – than men, according to the Office for National Statistics. Women & Home