Parties enjoy record levels of funding as Tories top political donations May 28, 2015 The UK's political parties received record levels of funding in the run-up to the General Election, as the 10 parties accepted more than £30.6m in the first quarter of 2015. That was an increase of more than £10m reported than in the last quarter of 2014, according to figures published by the Electoral Commission. On [...]
G7 Dresden meeting: Strange balloon protest and that awkward family photo aren’t the only things casting a shadow over the G7 meeting May 28, 2015 The G7 meeting is being overshadowed by fears of a Grexit… as well as a number of balloons with some of the world's most influential leaders on them. Protesters from the international group One released the balloons last night ahead of the Dresden meeting, which representatives from the US, UK, Canada, France, Italy, Japan [...]
Greek spokesman: Deal will “hopefully” be in place by Sunday May 28, 2015 Greece expects to have reached a deal “hopefully” as soon as Sunday. A team of negotiators from Athens has been locked in talks over its €320bn (£228bn) debt pile with its creditors the European Union, the European Central Bank and the IMF since February. It is not thought the deal will include the €20bn [...]
What was in the 2015 Queen’s Speech, bill-by-bill May 28, 2015 A full employment and welfare benefits bill aiming to create 2m more jobs and 3m more apprenticeships An enterprise bill to cut red tape and help small and medium-sized businesses resolve late payment disputes A personal tax allowance bill raising the personal allowance to £12,500 and linking future increases to the minimum wage A finance bill [...]
EU referendum details emerge as David Cameron begins European tour to win reform support May 27, 2015 New details about the in/out referendum on Britain’s membership in the European Union have emerged today, as Prime Minister David Cameron sets off on a whistle-stop tour to meet with his European counterparts. The EU referendum bill, which the government will introduce in parliament today, includes the exact text that the electorate will be [...]
Queen’s Speech 2015: Here’s everything that was said about the EU referendum, employment, tax, the Human Rights Act and Scottish devolution May 27, 2015 The EU referendum is on; taxes will be locked in at current levels and strike laws are being reformed. The Queen's Speech has come to an end, and we have been presented with the legislation the government intends to pursue over the coming parliamentary session. While global cooperation, reducing the deficit and sticking to the [...]
Queen’s Speech 2015: New parliament debates Queen’s Speech May 27, 2015 The new parliament has commenced its first debate, with new plans for legislation announced in the Queen's Speech due to be discussed. The new session was opened by the commons speaker John Bercow while MP Simon Burns kicked off proceedings with the humble address and MP Sheryll Murray seconding the address. Burns cracked jokes at [...]
Queen’s Speech 2015: SNP MPs wear the little white rose of Scotland May 27, 2015 All of the Scottish National Party's MPs wore white roses in Parliament today for the State Opening and Queen's Speech. Its parliamentary representatives wore the "little white rose of Scotland", the party said, "as SNP MPs and MSPs do at all Westminster and Holyrood parliament openings". The party said it was in homage to the [...]
Queen’s Speech 2015: Business community and others react to announcements on immigration, housing, employment, tax, Scotland and English devolution May 27, 2015 The Queen's Speech – the first full-Tory state opening of Parliament since 1996 – has come and gone. But what is the business community making of it all? Here are the best reactions so far. On the tax lock: Chas Roy-Chowdhury, head of tax at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants says: “This is a [...]
Labour leadership race: Andy Burnham gets northern support while London backs Liz Kendall May 27, 2015 The Labour leadership race is revealing geographical splits in the party as northern MPs back Andy Burnham – while London supports the female candidates. Some 56 per cent of Labour's northern MPs who have declared support for a candidate have backed Burnham. His northern support stands in contrast to Liz Kendall, who enjoys the backing [...]