EU migrant crisis: Royal Navy ship HMS Richmond to tackle people smugglers risking refugees’ lives off the coast of Libya September 16, 2015 In what is another attempt to head off the escalating migrant crisis facing the European Union, the Royal Navy is being dispatched to tackle people smugglers around the coast of Libya. HMS Richmond is being sent to international waters around the country to try and stop criminal gangs from ferrying refugees across the Mediterranean Sea. [...]
EU migrant crisis: Schengen Agreement in tatters as Hungary declares state of emergency over refugee crisis September 16, 2015 Update: Hungary has said it will deploy a razor wire fence along its border with Romania, just hours after putting the same measure into place along its Serbian border. Minister of foreign affairs and trade Péter Szijjártó said this afternoon that the government was planning "preparatory work" for the fence, newswires are reporting. The country [...]
New “shopping tax” will cost taxpayers £1.5bn over a decade, says the TaxPayers’ Alliance September 16, 2015 The government’s plan to introduce a mandatory charge for plastic bags will cost taxpayers £1.5bn over a decade, according to new research from the TaxPayers’ Alliance. The plan, which comes into effect next month, means all large retailers will have to add a 5p fee to shopping bills. Read more: Why EU plastic bag rules [...]
Who will be the first of Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet to resign? September 15, 2015 It may only be three days since Jeremy Corbyn decisively won the Labour leadership election, and a day after his shadow cabinet was announced, but dividing lines are already being drawn by Corbyn’s new front bench. New deputy leader Tom Watson has said there is “zero chance of a coup”, but having a new leader [...]
Where have politicians raised their money from? Donations to Consevative, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs September 15, 2015 Donations to holders of elected offices, members’ associations and members of registered parties reached over £3m over the last year, according to figures published by the Electoral Commission, the independent party funding watchdog. In total, £3,035,525.91 was donated between 1 September 2014 – 31 August 2015, compared to £2,289,262,62 for the same period a year [...]
Labour leadership 2015: How much campaign money Jeremy Corbyn, Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall raised and where from September 15, 2015 To run a successful political campaign you need a lot of things: perseverance, staff, a coherent message. But you also need money. Jeremy Corbyn is now extremely likely to be crowned as Labour leader on Saturday, with polls and bookmakers alike putting him streets ahead. But the veteran Islington North MP actually had the fewest [...]
Brexit: Eurosceptics are more “enthusiastic” about the EU referendum than Europhiles September 15, 2015 Voters in favour of a so-called "Brexit" are twice as enthusiastic about the upcoming referendum than people who plan on voting to stay in the European Union, a new poll suggests. Some 56 per cent of Eurosceptics said they felt enthusiastic about their opportunity to vote to leave the UK compared to 23 per cent of [...]
Scottish independence: Alistair Darling tells David Cameron to agree to second referendum September 15, 2015 If Scots want a second independence referendum, they should be given it, Alistair Darling has told David Cameron. Darling, who led the Better Together campaign last year, said there did not appear to be any desire for a second referendum, but if appetite among voters did grow, it would be “daft to deny them”. Speaking [...]
Labour HQ fire: Brewers Green office evacuated and fire brigade called to nearby office September 14, 2015 Labour's headquarters at one Brewers Green have been evacuated after a fire nearby. Staff evacuated the building in Westminster and London Fire Brigade attended the scene, however, the incident is not serious. We're dealing with a small fire in an office block under refurbishment on Buckingham Gate in #Westminster. pic.twitter.com/G1W7ixVLJV — London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) [...]
Jeremy Corbyn faces first test as Labour leader in Trade Union Bill debate September 14, 2015 Today marks the first official test of newly-elected Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, as he takes part in his first parliamentary showdown from the frontbench. On the agenda: the Trade Union Bill, a package of proposals put forward by the government that would change the rules surrounding strike ballots. Business secretary Sajid Javid, who [...]