Can they fix it? MPs have launched an inquiry into the housebuilding industry and the UK’s housing crisis July 5, 2016 MPs have started an inquiry into the UK's embattled housebuilding sector, seeking answers on why supply cannot keep up with demand to produce the homes the country needs. The Communities and Local Government (CLG) committee will be calling the chief executives of major developers to give evidence on the industry's capacity to build after figures released [...]
UK will be in EU in five years, says Austria’s finance minister July 5, 2016 The United Kingdom will still be a member of the European Union in five years' time, Austria's finance minister has said. Hans Jörg Schelling told Handelsblatt, a Germany newspaper, that the UK may not even leave the EU after the referendum result, despite the Brexit vote. He added that the EU needs to learn from the result that [...]
Sadiq Khan is to institute a £10 charge for London’s most polluting vehicles, while accelerating the planned expansion of the ultra-low emission zone July 5, 2016 Sadiq Khan has fleshed out his proposals to tackle London's air quality, including specifying new charges for drivers in environmentally unfriendly vehicles. Khan made tacking the city's pollution a key plank of his election platform, and figures last month showed that Londoners living in the capital’s most deprived boroughs are significantly more likely to die [...]
Trident: Home secretary Theresa May wants a Commons vote before the summer recess July 5, 2016 Home secretary Theresa May has said Trident should be renewed as soon as possible, calling for a parliamentary vote before the summer recess. May, the Tory leadership favourite, said that it is necessary to renew the submarines to confront an insecure world, pointing particularly to the risk posed by Russia, as well as North Korea. The [...]
Conservative leadership contest: Nicky Morgan backs Michael Gove while Theresa May leads as voting gets underway July 5, 2016 The pledges are rolling in as the Conservative leadership contest gets underway. Education secretary has come out backing Michael Gove today, the day after Boris Johnson backed Andrea Leadsom and foreign secretary Philip Hammond backed Theresa May. Overall, May remains the frontrunner, with more declared pledges from MPs that the other four candidates put together, [...]
The Libor trial could be a turning point for SFO July 5, 2016 The UK's fraud squad has had a rough ride in recent years. Wave after wave of criticism has battered its modest West End headquarters, especially since the botched investigation into property tycoon Vincent Tchenguiz. Just over four years have passed since the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) admitted that there were “no longer reasonable grounds” for pursuing [...]
MPs: Treatment of confiscation orders currently teaching wrongdoers that crime pays July 5, 2016 Government's current treatment of confiscation orders is sending out the wrong message about crime, a report published today has warned. In particular, the report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticised the Home Office for routinely missing opportunities to push for confiscation orders, which allow proceeds from crimes to be recouped from somebody who has been [...]
Boris Johnson adds some zap to Andrea Leadsom’s Tory leadership bid July 4, 2016 Boris Johnson has today revealed he is backing Andrea Leadsom in the Tory leadership race. "Leadsom offers the zap, the drive and the determination essential for the next leader of this country," read a statement from the former Mayor of London. "She has long championed the needs of the most vulnerable in our society. "She [...]
Jeremy Corbyn has defended Labour’s record on anti-semitism, while expressing regret over his own comments on Hamas and Hezbollah July 4, 2016 Jeremy Corbyn has defended his party's record on anti-Semitism, while also denying that he had compared Israel to terror group Islamic State. Speaking in front of parliament's home affairs committee today, Corbyn said that he wanted a “large and inclusive party”, and denied claims from one of his own MPs that Labour is “not a safe [...]
Work and pensions secretary Stephen Crabb and Tory backbencher Liam Fox have both lent their support to expansion for Heathrow July 4, 2016 Work and pensions secretary Stephen Crabb has promised an immediate green light for Heathrow expansion if he is selected as the new Conservative leader. Crabb has committed to expanding the South West London airport “as soon as possible” after his selection. A decision on Heathrow was expected this summer, but was again delayed last week [...]