General Election 2019: Boris Johnson tops list of MPs for outside earnings December 5, 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has topped a list of MPs for outside earnings last year, raking in an additional £1.6m on top of his Westminster salary. In total, MPs made an extra £13m in employment, gifts and property income between 1 September 2018 to 31 August 2019, according to a tool created by data design [...]
General Election: Boris Johnson sets out 100-day plan as polls predict Tory win December 5, 2019 Boris Johnson has pledged to deliver Brexit, slash taxes in a new Budget and give a boost to healthcare in the Tories’ first 100 days as a majority government if he wins the General Election. The Prime Minister said only a Conservative victory would allow the country to end its Brexit uncertainty, while he has [...]
Does Labour’s pledge to cut rail fares make sense from a social mobility perspective? December 5, 2019 Does Labour’s pledge to cut rail fares make sense from a social mobility perspective? Grace Blakeley, economics columnist at the New Statesman, says YES. Many have pointed out that middle-earners are most likely to use trains, but few analyse why. First, trains around London are too expensive for many commuters, meaning that they are forced [...]
We cannot afford to be timid about calling out the threat of radical Islam December 5, 2019 Once more, the spectre of terrorism has come to impact upon the daily lives of those living and working in our capital city. Last Friday’s London Bridge attack was sadly unsurprising in terms of its occurrence, although that in no way diminishes its horror. Two young graduates, Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones, were cut down [...]
The tampon tax isn’t the problem — our warped VAT system is December 5, 2019 Last week, Boris Johnson promised to scrap the so-called “tampon tax” — the VAT levied on feminine hygiene products. The current VAT regime, which dates back to the 1970s, cannot be changed while Britain remains in the EU. Feminists and progressives have long argued that such a tax is unfair and sexist, so scrapping it [...]
General Election 2019: Conservatives set out vision for first 100 days of new government December 4, 2019 The Conservatives have pledged to deliver Brexit within the first 100 days of a majority government. Boris Johnson, who this summer committed to leaving the EU by 31 October “come what may”, said if voters return a Tory majority in the election next week he will push the Withdrawal Agreement through parliament to meet the [...]
Iain Duncan Smith: ‘We don’t have champagne socialists here’ December 4, 2019 On the campaign with… Iain Duncan Smith Labour has made no secret of its plan to unseat former Conservative leader and minister Iain Duncan Smith in favour of Corbynite candidate Faiza Shaheen. Hundreds of the hard-left Momentum group’s activists have been diverted into Chingford and Wood Green in the past few weeks in the hope [...]
General Election 2019: Labour’s household finances pledge savaged December 4, 2019 Labour’s pledge to save households more than £6,700 each year has been savaged by commentators and industry experts who question the party’s figures and assumptions about privatisation. John McDonnell told supporters in Birmingham that those warning about the risks of Labour’s plans to nationalise energy, broadband, water and other industries claiming that “the privatisation fat-cats [...]
Nato summit: Donald Trump pulls out of press conference after world leaders mock him December 4, 2019 Donald Trump has pulled out of a Nato summit press conference this afternoon after world leaders were caught on camera appearing to mock the US President. “When today’s meetings are over, I will be heading back to Washington,” Trump said. Read more: Nato summit: World leaders caught on video ‘mocking’ Trump “We won’t be doing [...]
Boris Johnson casts doubt on Huawei involvement in UK’s 5G network December 4, 2019 The government will not allow Huawei to build the UK’s 5G network if it risks national security or jeopardise co-operation with other Five Eyes countries, according to Boris Johnson. Other countries, including fellow Five Eyes nations Australia and the US, have banned the Chinese firm from taking part in building their respective 5G networks. Read [...]