In our latest series of leadership quotations, we hear from Dominic Raab on the government’s Covid response, Kate Meynell on students partying in Nottingham, Craig McRae on how the 2008 crash affected estate agents, Greg Hodge and Martin Roberts on the role of small businesses in UK-EU trade, and Jeff Wilton-Love on the difficulties in the social care sector.
Dominic Raab
‘We’re confident we've got the right measures and framework in place. Not to have a blanket approach but to target measures on the areas where the uptick is the highest.’ (The foreign secretary responding to criticisms of the government’s Covid policies)
Kate Meynell
‘It is perfectly clear that these kind of gatherings are not allowed and there really is no excuse for what we saw last night. This pandemic is a serious risk to public health. Cases are rising fast and more people are getting seriously ill as a result.
'We expect people to follow and obey the law and hope that this latest incident serves as a warning to others - that if you do break the rules in this way you will be caught and you will be punished.’ (The Nottingham assistant chief constable warns students over their behaviour in the ‘Tier 3’ city).
Craig McRae
‘Since the 2008 financial crisis and since the Brexit vote, the volume of estate agency business has reduced. Independent agencies now have to
compete with the larger, corporate set-ups and online agents. This is a good market, however, for a small firm like McRae’s. We see ourselves as a cottage industry. There are bigger players out there, but they can’t always tailor their approach and they don’t have our level of local knowledge or localities.’ (The McRae’s Sales, Lettings and Management managing director on how difficulties can provide opportunities)
Greg Hodge and Martyn Roberts
‘We know that whatever is agreed between the negotiating parties of the EU and UK, this will only be the starting point. It will actually be small businesses like us and other larger corporate companies that will have to make it work. Governments and treaties don’t conduct business, commercial entities like us do, and that will never change.’ (The Global Insulation Logistics directors on the realities of trade in the real world).
Jeff Wilton-Love
‘Health and social care, particularly domiciliary care, are in a state of uncertainty. A widespread lack of understanding of national demographics and practical care work has dictated an unreasonable blanket costing on service prices.’ (The Chapter Care director on the difficulty of having care workers’ pay dictated by the local authority)
John Nkengasong
‘The continent has done very well in bending the curve where most infections peak around July and then decline steadily. But we are beginning to see some stagnation. The time to prepare for the second wave is truly now.’ (The head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Infection (Africa CDC) following a surge of Covid cases in Kenya and South Africa).
