Britain was a manufacturing and trading colossus in the 1950s, when Queen Elizabeth II became the nation's monarch, with shipbuilding one of its preeminent industries. PA
Britain was a manufacturing and trading colossus in the 1950s, when Queen Elizabeth II became the nation's monarch, with shipbuilding one of its preeminent industries. PA
Britain was a manufacturing and trading colossus in the 1950s, when Queen Elizabeth II became the nation's monarch, with shipbuilding one of its preeminent industries. PA
Chris Blackhurst is a former editor of The Independent, based in London
September 14, 2022
Had she seen out the rest of this year, Queen Elizabeth II would have witnessed her country pass a milestone that was scarcely believable at the outset of her reign.
The British monarch, whose father was King Emperor of the sub-continent, has died as India is set to overtake the UK in terms of economic might.
India was only just an independent nation, having freed itself from British rule, when the queen ascended to the throne in 1952. Seventy years on and the country will, later this year, officially become the world’s fifth-largest economy. Britain slips to sixth, although some economists maintain its real ranking is eighth.
Back in 1952, it was an indisputable third, behind the US and Soviet Union. As a further show of strength, the UK joined the superpowers that year as a nuclear power.
Britain was a manufacturing and trading colossus. Coal mining, shipbuilding, heavy engineering, car-making, textiles: the list of activities, and mass employment providers, that dominated the country’s industrial heartlands of the north of England and the West Midlands, went on. Many of them were state-owned.
The docks in Liverpool, Southampton and the East End of London, were in full swing, mostly receiving and sending vessels to and from what was still a formidable, if creaking, British Empire.
Everywhere there was building, as a people ravaged by war and sustained bombing, embarked on recovery. Vast areas of the urban population had to be rehoused, and councils seized the opportunity to condemn the Victorian-era slums that blighted so many towns and cities.
Motorways were coming, and the new National Health Service and welfare state demanded the construction of hospitals, clinics, offices. School buildings, too. Britain was buzzing with activity.
For all that, times were hard. Rationing of some staple foods continued to apply and dual-income families were not commonplace. Having been employed during the years of conflict in a variety of sectors from armaments to agriculture, women found they were no longer required, as industries returned to being almost exclusively male.
It may have had a female head of state but Britain afforded few opportunities for women who sought rising career paths. A woman in a top job was a rarity. Females made up a third of the workforce, but they were often in posts that offered little prospect of meaningful advancement. In 2022, the gender split is roughly 50-50, and women have risen to the most powerful positions, such as prime minister, on three occasions.
Then, university graduates were predominantly male; today, females account for the majority of those studying for first degrees.
Much of the shift was due to enlightenment. Similarly, in 1952, divorcees and single-parent families struggled for acceptance. Not any more. In 2021, most births were to unmarried parents.
Great social changes, that led to a decline in church attendance, legalisation of abortion and homosexuality and the introduction of the contraceptive pill, played their part. The economy was responsible, too, as large-scale manufacturing waned and disappeared entirely in many places. This was replaced by more female-conducive service industries at which, incidentally, Britain excels.
From sitting at the pinnacle of an imperial domain that went right around the globe, Britain has had to come to terms with not only the loss of its colonies, but also the rise of new economic forces: globalisation and digitalisation.
China's proxy UK manufacturer status
Where once it faced no or little competition, Britain must fight for every gain. Asia, particularly China (now number two in the economic chart), continues to flex its considerable muscle. Once, for instance, the iconic British sports car, the MG, was made near Oxford. Today’s electric MG is produced in China.
For a long period, membership of the EU and having a free trade bloc on the doorstep, compensated for the diminishing empire. But that has gone, and the Britain of 2022 feels very much alone, having to find and strike trade deals. Several of them, ironically, have been made with countries that in 1952 were completely under its purview.
The economy, for all that, is transformed — five times bigger than in 1952. Productivity, however, has slipped and defies repeated efforts at improvement.
It’s a more crowded country, with many additional mouths to feed. When the queen succeeded her father in 1952, the total British population was 50.4 million. Today, it’s 68.3 million. Much of that rise has come in the last three decades as net immigration has increased.
Queen Elizabeth timeline - in pictures
April 21, 1926: Elizabeth, Duchess of York (1900-2002), gives birth to Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, her first child and the future queen. Getty
December 11, 1936. Elizabeth becomes heiress presumptive when her father becomes King George VI. Getty
November 20, 1947. Princess Elizabeth marries Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh. Getty
November 14, 1948: Princess Elizabeth gives birth to her eldest child Prince Charles. Getty
August 18 1950: Elizabeth gives birth to her second child, Princess Anne. AFP
1952. Princess Elizabeth ascends to the throne, learning of her ascension on a trip to Kenya with the Duke of Edinburgh on February 6. Getty
June 2,1953: Crowned Queen Elizabeth II by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Geoffrey Fisher at Westminster Abbey. Getty
February 19, 1960: Queen Elizabeth gives birth to her third child, Prince Andrew. Getty
March 10, 1964. Queen Elizabeth II gives birth to her fourth and last child, Prince Edward. Getty
May 18, 1965: Queen Elizabeth II with Paul Nevermann (1902 - 1979), the Mayor of Hamburg, in Hamburg during a an official trip to West Germany - her first state visit. Getty
June 2, 1977: Livery-clad coachmen accompany the state coach bearing Queen Elizabeth II on her Silver Jubilee. Getty
June 29. 1981: Prince Charles And Princess Diana marry. Getty
June 21, 1982: Diana gives birth to Prince William. Getty
September 16, 1984: Diana gives birth to her second child with Prince Charles, Prince Harry. Getty
November 20 1992: Flames rip through private apartments in the east wing of Windsor Castle. AFP
September 1, 1997: Diana dies after a car crash in Paris, sending the UK and world into shock. AFP
November 20, 1997: The Queen and Prince Philip celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary at Westminster Abbey. Getty
June 4, 2002: The Queen and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh wave to well-wishers, as they ride the Gold State Coach from Buckingham Palace to St Paul's Cathedral in London, for a service of thanksgiving to celebrate her Golden Jubilee. AP
2007: Queen Elizabeth becomes oldest UK monarch on her actual birthday of April 21, and celebrates on her sovereign birthday of June 16 during the annual Trooping the Colour Parade. Getty
April 29, 2011: The Queen's oldest grandchild Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge marry. Getty
2012: Queen celebrates her diamond jubilee, which included a cameo in the London 2012 Olympics alongside actor Daniel Craig in his guise as James Bond. Getty
September 9, 2015. Queen Elizabeth II becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history. Getty
June 11, 2016 . Queen Elizabeth celebrates her 90th birthday. Getty Image
February 5, 2017: Queen Elizabeth becomes the first British monarch to reach their sapphire jubilee. Getty
May 19, 2018: Grandson Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Megahn Markle, The Duchess of Sussex marry at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Getty
April 9, 2021: Queen Elizabeth's husband Prince Philip dies months short of his 100th birthday. Getty
June 2022: Queen Elizabeth II and Paddington Bear have cream tea at Buckingham Palace as part of celebrations for her platinum jubilee. Getty
There are more people, then, and they’re living longer. Once they hit 70, men and women in 2022 can both expect to live seven years longer than in 1952.
But, by and large, they’re richer, enjoying comfier lifestyles. Public ownership has given way to privatisation. Collective transport on buses and trains has been supplemented and surpassed by individually owned and driven cars. Council housing has declined, in favour of private housing (and with it, the advent and establishment of attendant industries wholly devoted to home improvements). Restaurants and fast-food outlets are on every high street. We’re also eating healthier and more varied foods ―thanks in part to quicker transport links ― imported from overseas.
In 1952, the average house price was less than £2,000 ($2,311) ― which is equivalent to £60,000 today. Currently, the average house is worth £274,000, says the Nationwide Building Society (let’s not forget, either, as pounds are cited how the currency switched ― from shillings and pence to decimal).
For much of the queen’s reign, average wages in the UK outstripped inflation. They didn’t after the financial crisis of 2008 and they may not do so again this year, as double-digit inflation hits.
Trade unions, once so dominant during nationalisation, saw their influence recede during the Margaret Thatcher years. In 2022, against a backdrop of rising cost of living, they’re making their presence felt, threatening national strikes.
Having experienced high taxes at different stages in the Queen Elizabeth II period, the UK, during and post the Thatcher premiership, became used to low taxation and market forces supplanting public intervention. Gradually, though, higher taxes have returned. The response to Covid and the 2022 fuel shortage caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have prompted government measures that, while designed to be beneficial to the bulk of UK citizens, must be paid for.
A recession looms. There’s a strong sense, however, of being here before, of having overcome peril and prospered. During seven decades, Britain’s economy withstood oil shocks, the Suez crisis, the Falklands War, the devaluation of sterling, the exit from the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM)… again, it’s a long roll call.
It may not be as powerful as it once was, but Britain remains in a good place.
Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Lecce v SPAL (6pm)
Bologna v Genoa (9pm)
Atlanta v Roma (11.45pm)
Sunday
Udinese v Hellas Verona (3.30pm)
Juventus v Brescia (6pm)
Sampdoria v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sassuolo v Parma (6pm)
Cagliari v Napoli (9pm)
Lazio v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Torino (11.45pm)
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side 8 There are eight players per team 9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one. 5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls 4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
There are different types of travel available for pets:
Manifest cargo
Excess luggage in the hold
Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 0-2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Everton 0-2 Norwich City
Watford 0-3 Burnley
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg. The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company. When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Episode list:
Ep1:A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2:PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
Ep3:The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany - At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people - Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed - Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest - He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
