Chancellor George Osborne told to “sit down man” by speaker John Bercow July 21, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne was already looking at a fairly stressful day, given he's being grilled by the Treasury Select Committee about the Budget and the spending review he announced earlier in the day. Read more: Chancellor George Osborne defends bank surcharge as he faces Treasury Select Committee What he probably didn't expect was to be [...]
Does size matter? English devolution may not lead to productivity gains, admits Treasury secretary Lord Jim O’Neill July 21, 2015 One of George Osborne's most senior Treasury colleagues has admitted that when it comes to solving the productivity puzzle, English devolution is little more than a punt. Commercial secretary to the Treasury Jim O'Neill, who heads up the City Growth Commission, has been tasked with replicating London's economic success in other cities throughout the UK. The group [...]
Welfare Bill passes as Labour leadership descends into crisis July 21, 2015 The House of Commons passed government plans for £12bn in welfare cuts last night, including tax credit cuts and welfare caps, while acting Labour leader Harriet Harman suffered a rebellion in the vote. Read more: The government's welfare bill is necessary – but more must be done After five hours of debate, Parliament backed [...]
French President François Hollande calls for a Eurozone parliament with a shared budget July 20, 2015 French President François Hollande wants to see a new parliament and a shared budget for Eurozone countries. Writing in Le Journal Du Dimanche, a French Sunday paper, Hollande said: Europe has let its institutions weaken and the 28 governments struggle to agree to move forward. [National] parliaments remain too far from decisions. And the peoples [...]
Five business sectors set to benefit from restored US-Cuba relations July 20, 2015 At midnight on Monday, diplomatic ties between the US and Cuba officially reopened after 54 years of political hostility. Read more: Now you can book a rental in Havana for the first time after lifting of 50-year trade embargo In 1961, relations were completely severed between the two countries, but today each re-opened its [...]
London mayor election 2016: Most people want to have the option of voting online July 20, 2015 The majority of Londoners would like the option to vote online in next year's mayoral elections. Read more: Who will be the next Boris Johnson? Runners, riders and potential candidates In a YouGov survey of 1,047 adults in the capital, 59 per cent of those already online said they would support its introduction to [...]
London Conservative mayoral hopeful Ivan Massow wants to stay over at your place July 20, 2015 Conservative mayoral hopeful Ivan Massow has a new strategy to help him understand the lives of ordinary Londoners: he wants to stay at your place. Read more: Ivan Massow’s mayoral bid evokes Thatcher spirit – entrepreneur explains why he’s the Tories’ best bet to replace Boris In a video released today, Massow explains: “I want to [...]
David Cameron sets out five-year plan to fight Islamic extremism in UK July 19, 2015 The Prime Minister will today call on Britain to fight the “subversive” doctrine of Islamist extremism and its “sick worldview”. In a keynote speech in Birmingham today, the Prime Minister will set out the principles he will adopt over the next five years to defeat extremism. Addressing the “struggle of our generation”, he [...]
Newly elected Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron accused of being “illiberal” on gay rights July 19, 2015 Newly elected Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has come under fire after repeatedly avoiding answering whether he considers gay sex to be a sin. In a live TV interview with Channel 4 news on Friday night, Farron avoided giving a direct answer to the question three times, instead saying that understanding Christianity is “to understand [...]
Ed Balls: “Never say never” of political comeback July 19, 2015 Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls has hinted that his exit from politics may not necessarily be a permanent one. After spectacularly losing his seat at the General Election, the ex-MP has headed across the pond to teach at Harvard in the aftermath. But appearing on BBC's Radio Five Live Test Match Special to talk balls [...]