UK steel crisis: Industry leaders to be grilled by MPs after Tata Steel and SSI closures October 25, 2015 The extent of the crisis that has engulfed Britain’s steel industry will be laid bare tomorrow when business ministers and industry figures are questioned by a committee of MPs. The Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) select committee hearing, set for tomorrow afternoon, will address the problems of cheap steel from China, rising energy costs, and [...]
Business groups warn that UK gender pay gap can’t be eradicated with “box-ticking” October 25, 2015 The government has announced new requirements for big businesses aimed at getting rid of the gender pay gap “in a generation”. Under new rules set out by Prime Minister David Cameron and equalities minister Nicky Morgan yesterday, large employers will now be required to publish information about bonuses paid to men and women as part [...]
EU referendum: Prime Minister David Cameron says no second vote October 25, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron has dismissed suggestions that a “leave” vote in the European Union referendum could lead to a second vote, with Downing Street aides saying that another referendum is not in the cards. One senior aide was quoted over the weekend saying: “The Prime Minister is clear that is simply not going to happen. [...]
Labour’s John McDonnell promises no “political capital” if George Osborne U-turns on tax credits October 25, 2015 Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said the Labour party will not make "political capital" from a U-turn on tax credits. McDonnell said the issue was becoming "above politics" and revealed he has written to chancellor George Osborne to say that a U-turn is needed, but that Labour would not use it for political point scoring. Osborne is [...]
Tony Blair: Sorry for Iraq war “mistakes” and admits conflict’s role in rise of Islamic State October 25, 2015 Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has apologised for "mistakes" made during the Iraq war but said he was not sorry for toppling Saddam Hussein despite admitting there are "elements of truth" to the view that the war is connected to the rise of Islamic State (IS). Speaking in an interview with CNN which is due to [...]
Lord Grabiner quits Labour party whip over Corbyn leadership October 24, 2015 Lord Grabiner has become the second Labour peer to leave the party whip in a week. In a letter to The Times this morning, he said he left at the end of September due to his differences with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. “I can't square staying with my conscience,” he said. “I have nothing in [...]
Liberal Democrat London Assembly leader Caroline Pidgeon announces bid to become Mayor of London October 23, 2015 The leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, Caroline Pidgeon, today launched her campaign to become the Liberal Democrats' candidate for Mayor of London in the 2016 election. Visiting the Gower nursery school in Islington, she outlined the problems in London she would tackle if she got the job, including affordable childcare in the [...]
Prime Minister David Cameron is “acting like a school boy bully” by not listening to the Lords on tax credit cuts says Liberal Democrat Lord Newby October 23, 2015 The government's controversial decision to cut tax credits has come under renewed pressure as Lord Newby said the House of Lords will obstruct the legislation, and Prime Minister David Cameron would face a "constitutional crisis of his own making" if he took measures against the Lords in response. The government no longer has a majority in the House [...]
EU referendum 2017: British support for a Brexit is at its highest since 2012 October 23, 2015 A new poll has shown the number of Brits who want to leave the European Union is on the rise, as immigration becomes an increasingly topical issue. Pollster Ipsos Mori said yesterday that British support for an exit has risen to 39 per cent, the highest level since 2012, up from 27 per cent in June. However, most Brits [...]
China state visit: Xi Jingping visits Manchester City Football academy and announces new flights October 23, 2015 Chinese President Xi Jingping will wrap up his four-day state visit to Britain in Manchester today, where he and Prime Minister David Cameron will announce more business deals, including new direct flights from Manchester Airport to China. The UK government estimates the new flight path will add £50m to Manchester’s economy. Other partnerships set to [...]