Alex Salmond says second Scottish independence referendum “inevitable” July 26, 2015 He may have failed in his attempt to lead Scotland to independence, but former First Minister and now SNP MP in Westminster Alex Salmond, believes it's not the end of the dream. He has called a second vote on Scottish independence "inevitable" speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning. "I think a [...]
Lord Sewel resigns as House of Lords deputy speaker after Sun on Sunday alleges drug taking July 26, 2015 Lord Sewel has resigned his position as the deputy speaker of the House of Lords following allegations that he took drugs with prostitutes. The Labour peer, who chairs the Lords' committee on standards and behaviour, was allegedly caught on camera taking cocaine with two prostitutes according to the Sun on Sunday. Now Sewel, a former [...]
EU Referendum: David Cameron “pencils in June 2016” for Brexit vote as George Osborne heads to Paris July 26, 2015 A referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union could be held within the next year, with June 2016 pencilled in for the vote, the Independent on Sunday reports. David Cameron has promised a vote before the end of 2017 and has embarked on a whistlestop tour of Europe since winning the election. meeting leaders to [...]
Which banks will offer the Help to Buy Isa? Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide, NatWest, Santander and Virgin Money July 25, 2015 Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide, Natwest, Santander and Virgin Money are among the banks and building societies which will offer the government's widely anticipated Help to Buy Isa. Help to Buy Isas, unveiled by chancellor George Osborne in his Spring budget, aim to give first-time buyers a much needed helping hand onto the property ladder. [...]
More than one in 10 new mothers claim they were forced to leave their job July 24, 2015 While pregnant women and women on maternity leave in the UK are legally protected against discrimination at work, thousands feel they have been treated unfairly by their employers. According to a government study into new mothers and their employers, 11 per cent of women have claimed that after becoming pregnant they were dismissed, made [...]
Obama’s Brexit intervention is not in Britain’s interests: It benefits an America suffering from an increasingly hostile Europe July 24, 2015 Voters! Hold-up! Stop worrying about that pesky decision about what our future relationship with the EU should look like. You don’t need to worry about exercising your democratic right in the UK, the President of the United States wants the UK to stay in the EU come what may. Phew, glad that’s settled. Ok. [...]
Brexit: UK would lose influence and damage prosperity if it leaves European Union, warns Barack Obama July 24, 2015 Barack Obama has urged Britain to stay in the European Union, saying the country would lose global influence and damage prosperity in the event of a Brexit. Speaking in an interview with the BBC last night, the US President suggested the UK's role in the EU was essential for both business and international security. [...]
Government to scrap Green Deal Finance Company funding after insulation scheme fails to take off July 23, 2015 Government funding for the Green Deal Finance Company has ended due to low take up of the scheme to insulate homes, the department of energy & climate change (DECC) announced yesterday. The project, which provided loans for householders to use in paying for home insulation, failed to live up to expectations DECC described the decision [...]
Heavyweight Tory Stephen Greenhalgh explains why he should be London’s next mayor July 23, 2015 You know what, Chris?” he bellows in the middle of a crowded Westminster cafe, prodding at my arm. “You know what? “I’m the only candidate who has spent over a decade in the engine room of London government.” Conservative Stephen Greenhalgh, deputy mayor for policing and crime, is certainly more bolshie blue than [...]
Government to stop funding Green Deal due to low take up rates and concerns over taxpayer money July 23, 2015 After not enough people took up the government on its offer, it quietly announced today that funding for the Green Deal, its household energy efficiency programme, has been cut. Read more: Green Deal faces criticism with uptake of only 1,612 last year Under the scheme, households could use cheap long-term loans to make their homes more energy efficient [...]