“There comes a point where silence becomes betrayal.” — Martin Luther King Jr. For decades, workplace pension schemes have promised security in retirement. But behind the scenes, a silent transfer of power—and profit—is taking place. Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes, once the gold standard of retirement provision, are being sold off en masse to life … Continue reading Run-On, Not Run-Off: Why It’s Time to Reclaim Our Pensions from the Insurance Industry
Tag: finance
The Growth Agenda Is Just Asset Hoovering—Now with Government Backing
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning “They call it growth. We call it extraction.” The Mansion House Accord is being hailed as a visionary step towards unlocking investment in the UK’s future. In reality, it’s a familiar game repackaged. We’ve seen this before in financial advice—now it’s the government’s turn to get a … Continue reading The Growth Agenda Is Just Asset Hoovering—Now with Government Backing
💼 The Three-Headed Lobby: How UK Finance, TheCityUK, and the City of London Corporation Shape the Rules of Extraction
“The system isn’t broken. It was built this way.” If we want to understand why so many financial reforms in Britain benefit institutions over individuals, we must look beyond surface policies to the power structures that design the game. Three key organisations stand at the heart of this architecture: UK Finance, TheCityUK, and the City … Continue reading 💼 The Three-Headed Lobby: How UK Finance, TheCityUK, and the City of London Corporation Shape the Rules of Extraction
The Growth Agenda: Asset Hoovering by Another Name
Why Deregulation Isn’t Growth—It’s Extraction, Repackaged “You can’t regulate for trust by dismantling the brakes.” In the wake of the Mansion House reforms, a familiar story is unfolding. The government’s so-called growth agenda is, in truth, a revival of the old Piscean order—an extractive financial system masquerading as economic progress. It’s not about real innovation … Continue reading The Growth Agenda: Asset Hoovering by Another Name
Bitcoin Doesn’t Inflate — But It Still Extracts
“Fixed supply doesn’t mean fair value.” Bitcoin is often hailed as the antidote to fiat money — a scarce digital asset immune to the whims of central banks. “You can’t print more Bitcoin,” say its advocates, “so it must be better than inflationary fiat.” But this argument misses something critical. Yes — Bitcoin doesn’t inflate … Continue reading Bitcoin Doesn’t Inflate — But It Still Extracts
Bitcoin’s Untold Backstory: Speculation, Gambling, and Market Mythology
“If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.” For years, Bitcoin has been marketed as a monetary messiah. A borderless, bankless utopia. A digital escape from inflation, central banks, and government control. But peel back the layers of myth, and a far more complex picture emerges—one involving gambling roots, market manipulation, and … Continue reading Bitcoin’s Untold Backstory: Speculation, Gambling, and Market Mythology
Is It Time to Leave St. James’s Place? Discover a New Path in Financial Planning
Are you an SJP adviser feeling the pressure?Or do you know someone stuck in that system—frustrated, exhausted, conflicted? If so, you’re not alone.And there is another way. ✅ Let’s start with two simple questions: Do you want to run a planning business built around your values, not someone else’s targets? Do you believe clients deserve … Continue reading Is It Time to Leave St. James’s Place? Discover a New Path in Financial Planning
Is Bitcoin Really the World’s Most Ethical Asset? A Conscience Check.
I was recently challenged—respectfully but firmly—for expressing concern about Bitcoin’s role in our shared future. The criticism? That my take was “outdated and just plain wrong.” I welcomed it. Because in an age of shouting and silencing, there’s value in slowing down to listen. To revisit claims. To check facts. To sit with conscience, not … Continue reading Is Bitcoin Really the World’s Most Ethical Asset? A Conscience Check.
💥 Keep Your Bitcoins: Why I Won’t Enrich Myself at the Expense of the Future
By Steve Conley, Founder of the Academy of Life Planning Bitcoin has just smashed through the $120,000 mark. Social media timelines are flooded with FOMO-fuelled headlines and chest-thumping crypto champions proclaiming, “We told you so.” But while the markets roar, I choose silence. I’m not buying. Not because I don’t understand the opportunity. I do. … Continue reading 💥 Keep Your Bitcoins: Why I Won’t Enrich Myself at the Expense of the Future
Who Guards the Guardians? The FCA, Money Box, and the Disappearing Line Between Advocacy and Sales
“Trust is built in drops and lost in buckets.”— Kevin Plank It began, as many things do, with a trusted voice on the radio. The BBC’s Money Box has long been a staple of consumer advocacy in Britain — a comforting soundscape of sensible financial advice, delivered with journalistic credibility. But something didn’t sit right … Continue reading Who Guards the Guardians? The FCA, Money Box, and the Disappearing Line Between Advocacy and Sales
Academy of Life Planning 