Investigatory Powers Bill: Reading someone else’s post is illegal, why should it be any different online? November 4, 2015 Today’s Investigatory Powers Bill would provide security services with the licence to “snoop” on private communications and browsing history for the first time. It gives provision for access to personal web and phone data using bulk collection powers. The home secretary has been at pains to highlight how the contentious elements of the “snoopers charter” [...]
Public Accounts Committee: Taxpayers still being let down by HMRC, with low levels of prosecutions for tax evasion November 4, 2015 HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is still failing UK taxpayers, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has argued in a report released this morning. Although PAC’s Sixth Report of 2015-16, which examines how HMRC performed during 2014-15, praises the UK’s tax authority for increasing taxes collected while cutting running costs over the last five years, it [...]
Morgan Stanley analysts: There’s a one in three chance of Brexit – which could lead to recession, a divided Conservative party and second Scottish independence referendum November 4, 2015 There is a one in three chance of the United Kingdom voting to leave the European Union, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley, who believe an "out" vote could lead to recession, rising inflation and uncertainty for the UK. The investment bank has placed a 35 per cent chance on the UK voting to leave the EU in [...]
Prime Minister’s Questions: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hammers David Cameron on tax credits again November 4, 2015 In this week's episode of Prime Minister's Questions, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn grilled Prime Minister David Cameron on tax credit changes again. Read more: David Cameron's first PMQs in full Tory goverment: The bunfight returns Corbyn said he had asked Cameron the same question six times last week and the Prime Minister failed to give him [...]
TalkTalk hack: Dido Harding and other execs could face grilling from MPs November 4, 2015 Executives at telecoms giant TalkTalk could face a grilling from MPs later this month as part of an influential parliamentary committee's investigation into the company's latest data breach. MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport committee announced this morning that they are launching an inquiry into the "circumstances surrounding" the recent cyber-attack on Talk Talk's website. The committee [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Labour candidate Sadiq Khan says he would reconsider City Airport November 4, 2015 Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan has suggested that he would reverse Boris Johnson’s decision to block expansion at London City Airport, saying today that as mayor he would “reconsider” plans to enlarge the East London airport. Khan, a former transport minister, said that if elected he would “look again” at the decision “in detail”. “City [...]
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn turns down invitation by the Confederation of British Industry to its annual conference November 3, 2015 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has declined an invitation from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) to address its annual conference. The CBI said it invited the leader of the opposition to its annual conference immediately after he was appointed, but "we received a response on 26 October, saying he was unable to attend". Corbyn was invited [...]
Labour MP Liam Byrne to lead moderates in challenge against Corbynism November 3, 2015 The former Treasury minister Liam Byrne – the man who left the infamous note explaining "there is no money" – has set out his alternative vision for the Labour party to that of its current leader Jeremy Corbyn. On the BBC's Today programme this morning, Byrne said the Labour party needs to respect the mandate Corbyn was given from his [...]
EU referendum: Chancellor George Osborne tells German businesses “ever closer union” is “not right” for UK November 3, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne will use a major speech in Berlin today to say that “ever closer union” is “not right” for the UK and call for new laws protecting the interests of non-Eurozone states. Speaking to the Federation of German Industries (BDI), Osborne will say that the British government wants “principles embedded in EU law [...]
EU referendum: Vote Leave Brexit campainers accuse CBI of being swayed by European Union funding November 3, 2015 A Eurosceptic campaign group is slamming the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) today, claiming that the industry group received nearly £1m from the European Commission in the last six years. Vote Leave said that between 2008 and 2015, the CBI received £955,484 from the European Commission. Vote Leave spokesman Robert Oxley said: “The CBI is funded [...]