Business leader Observer business writers reflect on the week's events
Battery failures like Johnson Matthey risk leaving British carmakers disconnected The UK automotive industry will need a large local supply of battery capacity. If it does not get it, it could shrink quickly
Big oil wisely acts as a climate ally, but the rising crude price is far from net zero The likes of BP and Shell promise a ‘transition’ to green energy backed by their revenues. They need to convince us further
Sunak isn’t planning for business – he’s budgeting for the next election The chancellor is politically astute, but there is less substance in his investment plans than it appears
All hail the net zero strategy: a year late and lacking in both ambition and funding The UK rushed out its climate plan just days before Cop26 – and it shows. The planet can’t afford further bluster and delay
A secure UK gas supply is meaningless, minister, if no one can pay their bills The government’s policy of crossing its fingers and hoping for the best isn’t going to help anyone get through the winter
Like it or not, with Nord Stream 2, Putin has a foot on the gas Europe badly needs With Gazprom’s flagship pipeline poised to deliver energy under the Baltic, leaders have little choice but to do business
The minimum wage is meaningless if we don’t treat workers with respect Labour’s basic pay declaration is well-intentioned, but will achieve little when zero-hours contracts and weak enforcement undermine employment law
Stagecoach takeover could mark end of a profitable era for bus and train tycoons The fortunes of Brian Souter’s firm seem to have closely followed those of privatised public transport in the UK
Global Britain’s cheerleaders may have to live with lasting damage to exports Kicking post-Brexit import controls down the road for a second time puts UK goods at a disadvantage
Higher wages are welcome, but workers should not think fortunes have changed Pay in Britain has been low for a long time, and for many reasons. There is no evidence that Brexit will change that
Rolls-Royce needs jets in the air – and government on its side for the long haul Strategic thinking is required after a hit to profits in the pandemic left the British group vulnerable to US activist investors
Whitehall must act on skills shortages – or see businesses driven into the ground Adding lorry drivers to the skilled worker list might help fill supermarket shelves – if, of course, such drivers want to come and work for UK pay rates
One upshot of Brexit Johnson didn’t foresee: bringing the Irish closer Trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic has soared this year, while life for British exporters looks set to get grimmer
With enough vision, the furlough scheme could have become a lifeboat for industry All signs are that the chancellor will end his wage support initiative next month. If he does, it will be a chance missed
Employment rights offer UK immunity to mandatory workplace Covid jabs A growing list of American businesses are demanding that their staff be immunised but corporate culture, and law, differ in Britain
To the family choosing whether to heat or eat, the energy cap isn’t ‘fair’ at all The Ofgem cap is set to rise to unaffordable levels for households let down by this government’s energy failures
Billionaire space cowboys could become heroes by focusing on the climate crisis Bezos, Musk and Branson have achieved much – but the biggest challenge facing humanity is not the stars, but our planet
Inflation isn’t out of control yet, governor, but can you reassure us it won’t be? The Bank of England’s Andrew Bailey needs to say what he will do if the rate of price increases – already 2.5% – remains high
Even if Covid hits shares, we must not inflate another cheap-money bubble The Delta variant is rattling markets. But the temptation to soothe them with quantitative easing must be resisted
Morrisons takeover saga could bring lots more twists before it’s in the bag The supermarket’s board has secured a better offer from Fortress, but there could be more on the way
About 532 results for Business leader 
