EDITION 944
7 NOVEMBER 2022

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 overcome a fear of learning. Do you struggle to get started with learning a new skill? Skill development is a top priority for 83% of our subscribers. As vital as it is to gain new skills, what happens when you have a fear of learning? Grappling with the unfamiliar can be anxiety-provoking, so here are tips to cope without giving up. READ MORE >>

2. Understanding BoE’s latest rate hike. Bank of England (BoE) has raised interest rates by 0.75 percentage points to 3%. This is the biggest hike since 1989 and takes the base rate to levels last seen during the 2008 financial crisis. In its outlook for the economy, the BoE forecasted the UK's longest recession since records began. On the other hand, it tried to convince markets that interest rates would not go up as high as previously predicted. Financial markets were anticipating the BoE's 0.75 percentage point hike after the same decisions were taken by the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve last week. All eyes are now on the UK government's autumn statement, which is due to be published on 17 November and is expected to focus on bringing the economy's debt down. The Guardian

3. House prices fall after 15 months. UK house prices fell for the first time since June 2020 last month. According to Nationwide, prices fell by 0.9% in October due to the acute rise in interest rates following the mini-budget. The sharp rise in mortgage rates dampened the demand to buy houses, especially amid the high cost of living. On the commercial real estate front, London's biggest landlords, who own large chunks of the West End, saw the value of their properties reduce. Shaftesbury's assets, which include premium properties in London's Soho, Carnaby Street and Chinatown, saw their value fall by 3.6% in the six months through to September. Meanwhile, Covent Garden landlord Capital & Countries' portfolio value shrunk by 2%. BBC

4. Sunak plans nurses pay cut. Millions of public sector workers “face a pay squeeze next year”. Treasury is planning pay rises of 2% across the board in the public sector for 2023-24. This would represent real-term cuts for nurses, teachers, police officers and armed forces personnnel because inflation is forecast to remain as high as 9.5% for most of next year. Meanwhile, a Treasury source said, Rishi Sunak’s tax rises are “going to be rough”. The Times

5. Increasing climate change awareness. A United Nations’ report projecting the loss of major glaciers by 2050 due to global warming serves as yet another reminder of the threat posed by climate change. The COP27 climate summit, therefore, offers an opportunity to increase awareness and understand what actions can be taken to tackle this crisis. How do you think awareness around climate change can be improved? Please take part in our latest poll. VOTE HERE >>

6. 46% of workers mocked over accent. Almost half (46%) of employees in the UK have been mocked, criticised or singled out in a social setting because of their accent. A survey by The Sutton Trust also found that 25% said they'd suffered jibes at work. Researchers also found that an entrenched "hierarchy of accent" was to blame for social anxiety throughout some people's lives. Those with northern English or Midlands accents said they were more likely to worry about the way they spoke. Many of those who were mocked said they also had anxiety over their future career prospects. Liverpool Echo

7. Alarming rise in type 2 diabetes. The number of people under the age of 40 being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the UK has risen by 23% from approximately 120,000 in 2016-17 to 148,000 in 2020-21, according to "incredibly troubling" and "shocking" data released by Diabetes UK. Experts say the data exposes the impact of increasing obesity levels. The number of under-40s with the condition make up a small proportion of the total affected population but Diabetes UK says the disease can have more severe and acute consequences in younger people and can lead to serious complications if left untreated. The Guardian

8. Covid cases drop amid booster campaign. There are signs that the new Covid vaccination campaign is already helping to reduce pressure on hospitals. Almost 13m people have now received a winter booster in England and NHS officials expected to have vaccinated 50% of people in line for jabs by the end of last week. Infections in England have fallen for the first time since mid-September: in the week ending October 21, it estimated 1.6m people would have tested positive, or one person in 35. The Times

9. Changing popularity of the Royals. The Prince of Wales is the most popular royal, rated “favourable” by 69% of the population. The Princess of Wales is next, on 67%, followed by Anne, Princess Royal, on 64%, and King Charles, on 54%. Prince Harry is rated favourably by 41% of Britons, up 11 points since March, while the Duchess of Sussex has a favourability rating of32%, up eight points. Meanwhile, Prince Andrew wept when Charles told him shortly before the Queen died that he was permanently banned from royal duties. Andrew had believed that he could “still be of value” as a working member of the royal family. The Times

10. The bottom line. Most British people believe that Britain has not regained control of its borders since Brexit, according to a new poll. The research, by Opinium, found that 73% think the UK has not been in control of its borders since Brexit and only 12% think Britain has been in control. Even Leave voters are unimpressed: only 7% of those who voted to leave the EU think the UK is in control of its borders since Brexit, while 85% think it is not. The Observer