A quarter of MPs say Donald Trump shouldn’t be allowed to make a prestigious speech on his state visit February 6, 2017 Just over a quarter of the UK's MPs have now signed a motion calling for US president Donald Trump to be barred from making an address in the palace of Westminster during his state visit this year. Trump has already been invited to the UK by Prime Minister Theresa May, with a date for his arrival yet to [...]
British business leaders urge government to improve the UK’s lagging infrastructure February 6, 2017 Two thirds of British business leaders think that the UK’s infrastructure is worse than other developed economies, according to a Lloyds Bank survey released today. Only 8 per cent of the 77 boardroom-level executives who responded thought that the national infrastructure of the UK was better than that of other countries. The results of the [...]
Jeremy Corbyn is wrong: The system isn’t rigged February 6, 2017 Jeremy Corbyn began the new year embarking on something of a rebrand, with aides describing how the Labour leader would move to emulate Donald Trump. This wasn't about any policy shifts, rather the strategy was to borrow from the US President's playbook of straight-talking, honest-tweeting, anti-establishment positioning. It's an approach that sees Corbyn and his [...]
London is a monument to the benefits of openness and internationalism February 6, 2017 "London is open”. This much-publicised campaign, launched by mayor of London Sadiq Khan and garlanded with column inches and broadcast coverage, is doing a great job of communicating the fact that the world’s greatest city wants nothing to do with the protectionism that seems to be appearing elsewhere in the world. We stand as a [...]
Well-meaning state interventions are making childcare increasingly unaffordable for many parents February 6, 2017 A couple of weeks ago an all-party Parliamentary Group report warned that many nursery schools may have to close, and called for a financial bailout from our beleaguered government. It was only the latest demand for extra state spending: in the last few months the CBI, the British Chambers of Commerce, the Welsh government, the [...]
As Labour Party splits over leaving the European Union intensify, can the party survive Brexit? February 6, 2017 Andrew Hawkins, chairman of ComRes, says Yes. The Labour Party is setting new standards for “normal” and “shambolic”, the Article 50 farrago being merely the latest milepost in what for many Labour MPs is a living nightmare. The Party is in an appalling mess but ironically its refusal to implode is evidence that it is [...]
Housing white paper: Deregulation and council targets are not enough – the government must confront our broken land market February 6, 2017 Following several rumours and proposed dates, it’s fair to say that anticipation surrounding the government’s housing white paper is ramping up. Reports last week suggested that the government is serious about committing to some real reforms, it’s just a question of whether they’re the right ones. Building on some parts of the green belt could certainly [...]
The UK is facing a “workforce crisis” if immigration levels fall, according to this consultancy February 6, 2017 Cutting migration into the UK will leave the country facing a “workforce crisis”, according to a new analysis from consultancy Mercer. Modelling different scenarios after Brexit, the firm found that even keeping net migration at current levels will fail to stem the challenges of the UK's ageing working population. Reductions in the size of the UK's [...]
Ancient woodlands will be offered boosted planning protection under Sajid Javid’s housing plans February 6, 2017 Ministers will bring in new protections for England's woodlands as part of the housing white paper. Communities secretary Sajid Javid will tomorrow lay out plans that will put some of the UK’s forests on par with green belt land. The Woodland Trust had raised concerns that more than 700 ancient woods are threatened by development ranging from housing [...]
A senior Eurosceptic is sounding the alarm over an Article 50 rebellion among Tory MPs this week February 5, 2017 A senior Tory Eurosceptic is raising concerns of a rebellion among MPs ahead of this week’s vote on Article 50 legislation. MPs will vote on a Bill granting the government power to begin divorce talks on Wednesday, but Brexiteer and Treasury committee member Steve Baker is worried that some Tories will back “wrecking” amendments. These could place more restrictions [...]