Unions and businesses get together to urge government to act fast on Heathrow expansion plans December 6, 2015 Business groups and trade unions have teamed up to urge the government to act quickly over the proposed third runway at Heathrow airport. Unite, TUC, the British Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of Small Business and business group London First have co-signed a letter to David Cameron, urging him to approve the new runway. The [...]
Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Front party wins historic victory in French regional elections December 6, 2015 French far-right party the National Front (FN) made significant gains in the first round of regional elections today. The party secured 29.4 per cent of the vote nationally, and came first in six out of 13 regions. Marine Le Pen, leader of FN, said: “We're just in the first round, but we hope to have as [...]
Soon foreigners could be charged for using NHS A&E, ambulance and GP services December 6, 2015 People using health services may soon be charged for them if they are not from Britain under new proposals. The government will begin consulting on plans to recover the costs of using services run by the NHS, including visits to GPs and Accident and Emergency departments, from foreign visitors and migrants. The move, which would extend the [...]
COP21 Paris climate summit: UN climate talks approve draft text for a deal December 5, 2015 Delegates at a UN climate conference in Paris today cleared a key hurdle to the formation of an international climate deal. Ministers worked through the night to sign off the draft text, which creates a common basis from which they will now try to resolve hundreds of points of disagreement. Laurence Tubiana, French climate envoy, told the [...]
Syria crisis: RAF jets hit oilfield In second round of air strikes December 5, 2015 UK jets carried out the second wave of airstrikes Syria yesterday night, in a bid to destroy Islamic State (Isis) controlled oil fields, which the British government says are being used to fund terror attacks on the West. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) said that two Tornado jets, and for the first time, two Typhoons carried out eight attacks [...]
Will Ukip break up? These bookmakers think Ukip could disband and Nigel Farage could step down December 4, 2015 The UK Independence Party has been left reeling in the aftermath of the Oldham West and Royton by-election, in which it launched a mammoth campaign, but only garnered 23 per cent of the vote. And after mere hours of the result, one bookmaker has shifted their odds on the chance of Ukip disbanding altogether. Star [...]
MPs’ expenses scandal: Parliamentary expenses watchdog Ipsa passes on the names of two MPs to police December 4, 2015 The UK parliamentary expenses watchdog has passed on cases of expenses abuse by MPs to the police. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) gave the names of three people, including two MPs, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. Read more: Here's where MPs earn the most Ipsa said: "Three cases have been forwarded to the Metropolitan Police for [...]
Syria crisis: German parliament votes for military strikes against Isis December 4, 2015 The German parliament has voted in favour of sending military support to the US-led coalition targeting the Islamic State (Isis) in Syria. The vote will result in Germany's biggest current military operation overseas, costing €134m (£97m) for the one year mandate. However, the Bundestag did not vote for a combative role, but one that will [...]
Oldham West and Royton by-election 2015 result: Labour candidate Jim McMahon wins leaving Ukip’s John Bickley in second and Nigel Farage complaining of electoral fraud December 4, 2015 Labour candidate Jim McMahon won the Oldham West and Royton by-election last night with a majority of more than 10,000 votes. In Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s first electoral test since taking the reins of the party, McMahon took 62 per cent of the vote, leading Corbyn to hail the result as a “vote of confidence”. McMahon [...]
Oldham West and Royton by-election 2015 result: Labour’s Jim McMahon wins and Jeremy Corbyn hails victory a ‘vote of confidence’ December 4, 2015 Labour has secured a victory in the by-election for Oldham West and Royton. The party's candidate, Jim McMahon, came in first place with a majority of 62 per cent – this was a bigger win for Labour than at the General Election in May The victory amounted to 10,835 more votes than Ukip candidate John [...]