EU referendum: British commissioner Jonathan Hill could be harming the UK just at the crucial pre-Brexit moment December 1, 2015 While David Cameron recently released his unambitious ideas for renegotiating the terms of the British membership in the EU, British commissioner Jonathan Hill seems keener to focus on building an ever-closer banking union. Although he is aware of Germany’s fundamental opposition to mutualising deposit insurance, he strongly advocates a project which will fuel the revolt of German depositors against [...]
Oldham West and Royton by-election 2015: What does history tell us will happen? December 1, 2015 One thing’s for sure in the up-coming Oldham West & Royton by-election: neither Labour nor Ukip are taking electoral victory for granted in what is going to be a bitterly fought contest. In leader Jeremy Corbyn’s first electoral challenge since taking the reins of the Labour party, his party won’t take any chances: it’s up [...]
London airport expansion: Heathrow plan set for a bumpy landing December 1, 2015 An influential group of MPs has poured cold water on calls for a swift government decision on airport expansion today by questioning the legality of building a third runway at Heathrow Airport. In a new report out this morning, the environmental audit committee told the government not to give the go-ahead to expanding the west [...]
Lord Lamont talks Osborne, Varoufakis and the EU referendum December 1, 2015 One wouldn't normally expect a former Conservative chancellor to agree with a controversial left wing ex-finance minister, but Lord Norman Lamont robustly defends his friend Yanis Varoufakis. “Varoufakis was disputing the rules of the European Union, rather than what they had discretion over, whereas the EU was responding by saying these are the rules; you [...]
Think tank Respublica: Tax rich foreign buyers more than Brits – to boost UK manufacturing December 1, 2015 How to sort out the UK’s ailing manufacturing industry? Think tank Respublica has an unorthodox solution: Start taxing wealthy foreign property buyers more. The think tank is calling for foreign property purchases to be taxed higher than British ones in a report released today, arguing that foreign investors are “skewing” the property market. The government [...]
BBC Trust chair to call for update to licence fee December 1, 2015 The government's commitment to overhaul the BBC licence fee is expected echoed today by the chair of the BBC Trust Rona Fairhead later today. She is set to call for an update of the licence fee to make it encompass the BBC’s growing on demand services. Currently households only need to pay a licence fee [...]
Tory MP James Cleverly will lead the re-launched Free Enterprise Group December 1, 2015 A group of MPs favouring free market policies is relaunching today under the leadership of James Cleverly, the Tory MP for Braintree. Cleverly is taking the reins of the Free Enterprise Group from Kwasi Karteng, another Conservative. The group was first set up after the 2010 General Election, and counts government ministers Harriet Baldwin, Andrea [...]
UK poised to launch air strikes in Syria as David Cameron sets vote for Wednesday November 30, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron has announced there will be a debate on Wednesday followed by a vote on UK air strikes against Islamic State in Syria. His decision comes after opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn was forced to back down on plans to make his divided party formally oppose the strikes. Instead, Corbyn has granted Labour [...]
Tory bullying scandal: City law firm Clifford Chance to take full control of investigation into Mark Clarke claims after Grant Shapps resignation November 30, 2015 The Conservative Party has handed over full control of an investigation into allegations surrounding the apparent suicide of a Conservative party activist to City law firm Clifford Chance, CCHQ confirmed today. CCHQ said Rob Halfon and Lord Feldman, who have both come under pressure to step down over the scandal, will recuse themselves from a board meeting held to consider the [...]
Syria air strikes: Labour confirms MPs will have a free vote on bombing campaign November 30, 2015 The Labour party has confirmed that its MPs will have a "free vote" on the government's proposal to extend the military's anti-ISIS bombing campaign into Syria. In a statement this afternoon, a spokesperson for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "Today's shadow cabinet agreed to back Jeremy Corbyn's recommendation of a free vote on the Government's proposal [...]