Think tanks urge people to be able to choose for themselves on sugar January 13, 2016 Controversial sugar tax proposals have been slammed by an economic think tank, following hints by Prime Minister David Cameron last week that the government could introduce a tax on sugary drinks this year. The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has today published a report sharply criticising the plans, labelling them “regressive, inefficient and unpopular”. Lobby [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Exclusive new poll shows Goldsmith leads Khan by 39 per cent among London businesses January 12, 2016 Conservative mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith is overwhelmingly seen by London firms as being more pro-business than his Labour rival Sadiq Khan, according to a new poll seen exclusively by City A.M. Two-thirds of London businesses think Goldsmith is pro-business, while just 29 per cent say the same of Khan, according to the poll, conducted by ComRes for [...]
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn steps down as head of parliamentary anti-nukes campaign amid Trident row January 12, 2016 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has stepped down from his post as leader of a cross-party group opposing the proliferation of nuclear weapons amid growing discontent over the Labour party's stance on Trident. Corbyn resigned as chair of the Parliamentary Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), and has been replaced by Caroline Lucas, the Green Party announced in a [...]
EU migrant crisis: German attitudes to immigration harden following Cologne attacks January 12, 2016 Attitudes towards immigration in Germany have hardened in the aftermath of a series of sexual assaults in Cologne carried out by a group of men that included asylum seekers, according to a new poll. The poll by YouGov found that some 62 per cent of Germans now believe the number of asylum seekers is already too high, [...]
Snoopers’ charter: Public support for government’s Investigatory Powers bill soaring despite criticism from Vodafone, Apple, Facebook and Google January 12, 2016 Britons are increasingly backing the UK government’s so-called snoopers’ charter, as a fresh survey shows support for the proposed legislation to monitor communication skyrocketing in the wake of recent terror threats. With some 63 per cent now in favour of the controversial Investigatory Powers bill, the survey from Broadband Genie shows a significant shift in [...]
Setback for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Trident as his plans for Labour members to get a say is “against rules” January 12, 2016 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was delivered a blow against his hopes of reversing his party's backing of Trident, after the party's general secretary unambiguously said there would be no change in its policymaking process before September. At a parliamentary meeting Iain McNicol told MPs that any changes in the way the party determined policy would [...]
US Democrat presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton proposes crack down on rich with four per cent tax January 12, 2016 Given that Democrat presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has pledged not to raise taxes for people earning less than $250,000 a year, it's not surprising she has now proposed a new tax on the rich. After campaigning on the promise to raise tax on the wealthy, Clinton's proposal will add a four per cent tax to those individuals who make more [...]
Where do Londoners spend the largest share of their income on rent? New analysis from Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan shows average rent now costs 62 per cent of average Londoner’s income January 12, 2016 The average London rent now eats up nearly two-thirds of an average Londoner's income, according to new research published today by Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan. Khan's campaign team crunched numbers from the House of Commons Library to find that the average London rent now consumes 62 per cent of the average Londoner's pre-tax income, compared to [...]
EU referendum: Prime Minister David Cameron warns ministers not to “undermine” government’s negotiations with Brussels as he spells out rules for free vote January 11, 2016 Prime Minister David Cameron has warned ministers not to "undermine" his efforts to reform the European Union. In a letter to ministers released this afternoon by Downing Street, Cameron repeated his commitment to allow ministers to have a "free vote", and campaign with their conscience in the run-up to the EU referendum. But Cameron was clear [...]
Labour: Karl Turner appointed shadow attorney general after Catherine McKinnell resigns citing internal conflict within the party January 11, 2016 UPDATE: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has named Karl Turner shadow attorney general, just hours after Catherine McKinnell resigned the post. McKinnell's resignation was just the latest setback for Labour, which has suffered a spate of resignations following Corbyn's recent reshuffle. In a letter to Corbyn published earlier today, McKinnell said: "I have found it increasingly difficult [...]