Davos 2016: Prime Minister David Cameron says he’s “not in a hurry” to hold a referendum without a good reform deal January 21, 2016 Business leaders should be making the case for Britain's membership in the European Union, Prime Minister David Cameron has said today. Speaking at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Cameron said: "I hope that businesses and NGOs and other organisations don't hold back." "And I would say, don't hold back right now," Cameron added, saying corporate [...]
EU referendum: In the 1970s, people’s views on immigration had nothing to do with their views on Brexit January 21, 2016 As debate around the impending In-Out European referendum escalates, it's interesting to look at how our attitudes to the EU and the baggage it brings with it have changed. These days, membership of the European Union is inextricably linked with a higher rate of immigration, but it hasn't always been so. A piece of research put out [...]
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell says a Labour government under Jeremy Corbyn would break up the big banks January 21, 2016 A Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn would look to break up Britain’s biggest banks, shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said. Speaking at a Co-operatives UK conference in Manchester today, McDonnell said: “Small businesses in general, and not just co-operatives, face dreadful difficulties in getting the funding they need from our high-street banks. “No other major [...]
Corbyn the Musical: the Motorcycle Diaries to launch in Waterloo Theatre East in April January 21, 2016 In a year set to be dominated by heavy political events including the EU referendum and a number of elections, the public will be afforded some respite by the launch of a musical about Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. In April, London's Waterloo Theatre East will open the production titled Corbyn the Musical: the Motorcycle Diaries, a musical-come-political-satire. [...]
EU referendum: Out campaign Leave.EU calls for seat at negotiating table in Brexit scenario while banks donate to In campaign January 21, 2016 In the event the United Kingdom votes to leave the European Union, a prominent Out campaign has called for representatives from its organisation to be part of the team that will negotiate the UK's new relationship with the EU. Leave.EU is urging Prime Minister David Cameron to accept that if the British people vote for Brexit, its organisation [...]
Alexander Litvinenko death inquiry report finds Vladimir Putin and FSB boss Patrushev “probably” approved his murder January 21, 2016 The killing of Alexander Litvinenko was "probably" approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin and former director of Russian FSB, a report published this morning has claimed. The report, by UK judge Sir Robert Owen, found that Andrei Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun, who have previously denied killing him, were behind the man's death. But Owen said he was "sure" they were [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Labour candidate Sadiq Khan wants business leaders shaping City Hall policies January 21, 2016 Business leaders should help shape policy decisions in City Hall, Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan said today as he revealed his plans to appoint a business advisory group. Khan, who has pledged to be the “most pro-business mayor of London yet”, said his advisory board would be made up of independent business leaders, not political [...]
EU referendum: New Civitas report says Britain does not benefit from being in the European Union trading bloc January 21, 2016 Britain does not benefit from being part of the European Union when it comes to negotiating trade agreements, a leading think tank has said in a new report out today. Civitas said that while it is assumed that the European Union provides “greater bargaining strength” than an independent Britain, new research shows that smaller countries [...]
The General Election cost political parties more than £39m and the Tories spent £3m more than Labour in the most-expensive UK election ever January 20, 2016 Nearly £40m was spent on the 2015 General Election, with the Conservatives out-spending all other political parties, according to new data out today from the Electoral Commission. A total of £39,023,564 was spent by 57 parties and 23 non-party campaigners in the run-up to last May's election, but the bulk of the spending came from the six largest [...]
Beckett report: Labour failed to overcome the “myth” and convince voters it could be trusted on the economy January 20, 2016 The day after her report into Labour's defeat at last year's election was published, Dame Margaret Beckett has said the party has been "honest" in facing up to what went wrong. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Beckett said the single biggest problem Labour faced was that it couldn't overcome the perception it couldn't be trusted on the economy. She said it had Labour failed to [...]