Harry Constable obituary

My friend Harry Constable, who has died aged 94, rose to be a prominent figure in the international paper-making industry in the 1970s and 80s by pioneering new processes and modernising management practices.Among the technical innovations he guided through at the Chartham paper mill in Kent, where he became a senior manager, was the use of photo-base papers for extrusion coaters in tracing paper.From a managerial angle, he was one of the pioneers in the UK of the Total Quality Management system, which stipulates that every employee, regardless of level or role, should clearly understand a company’s purpose and actively participate in quality improvement efforts – an idea that chimed with his own inclusive philosophy.Harry was born in Bridgend in south Wales to Henry, a french polisher, and his wife, Jeanette (nee Murphy), who was in service before they married. After a move to England he went to Wycombe technical college in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and at 16, in 1947, he landed a job as a laboratory assistant at the local Glory paper mill

British retail sales jump as online jewellery firms offer surprise Christmas sparkle

UK retail sales were stronger than expected last month, as the nation’s shops received a surprise boost during the crucial Christmas trading period.Sales volumes across Great Britain rose by 0.4% in December, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), with internet sales doing particularly well, especially online jewellers.Economists had been expecting retail sales to fall by 0.1% compared with November, after a number of British stores reported lacklustre trading over Christmas

‘I’m picking winners’: UK business secretary takes activist approach to economic growth

The UK business secretary, Peter Kyle, has said he is “betting big” and “picking winners” as the government takes direct stakes in growing businesses to boost economic growth.Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, have been talking up Britain’s prospects, Kyle said ministers were taking an “activist” approach to industrial policy.The idea of “picking winners” is closely associated with the Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s attacks on Labour’s 1970s strategy and her argument that it should be the private sector that decides which companies thrive.Kyle was unabashed about invoking the phrase, arguing a muscular approach could accelerate economic growth. “I want to make sure that the benefits of growth are felt quicker than is currently the case

The Australian dollar is (oddly) rising – what does ‘sell America’ sentiment have to do with it?

When Donald Trump threatened tariffs on European allies during the Greenland dispute, the Australian dollar increased in value against its US counterpart.The movement was odd, given the Australian currency typically falls during periods of global unease.Once Trump withdrew his tariff threat after claiming a “framework” deal had been reached, the Australian dollar increased again.The short-lived geopolitical crisis showed that bad news (Trump threatening tariffs) was good news for the Australian dollar, and good news (Trump removing that threat) was also good news for the Australian dollar.It is a theme that has been happening since Trump’s inauguration

JP Morgan chief Jamie Dimon took home $43m pay last year

JPMorgan Chase’s chief executive, Jamie Dimon, took home a total pay package of $43m last year, it has been disclosed.Dimon’s total compensation rose 10% in 2025, according to a regulatory filing, cementing his status as one of the highest-paid bosses in corporate America.Hours after Donald Trump sued JP Morgan and Dimon for at least $5bn, accusing America’s largest bank of “debanking” him, it heaped praise on its veteran boss.Dimon’s vast compensation package for 2025 included a base salary of $1.5m and $41

‘We have to stand together’: Minnesota economic blackout organizers push to take demonstrations nationwide

One of the largest labor unions in the US is pushing to expand Friday’s economic blackout over the surge of federal immigration agents in Minnesota.Organizers are urging Minnesotans not to work, shop or go to school tomorrow, as part of demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the region, and the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good. They are now planning actions beyond the state, and nationwide.There are planned actions in cities across the US – from Orlando, Florida, Columbus, Ohio, and Phoenix, Arizona, to Seattle, Washington, Los Angeles, California, and New York City – in solidarity with the people of Minnesota.The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents nearly 2 million service and healthcare workers across the US, is leading calls for nationwide participation