Local councils own 580 restaurants, 378 pubs and 174 hotels – among other assets June 2, 2015 Councils across the country are sitting on millions of pounds of assets as their portfolios include an impressive array of property – including 378 pubs and 174 hotels. Freedom of information requests sent by the Taxpayers' Alliance show that local councils also own golf courses, shopping centres and a cheese factory. Despite austerity measures being [...]
Charles Kennedy, former Liberal Democrat leader, dies in Scotland aged 55 June 2, 2015 Charles Kennedy, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, has died at his home in Fort William aged 55. Police Scotland said there were no suspicious circumstances involved. The cause of death is yet to be confirmed A statement on behalf of his family read: It is with great sadness, and an enormous sense of [...]
Lloyds share sale sparks Treasury rift as George Osborne ignores warning on value for money June 1, 2015 The Treasury is in disagreement with its own advisers over the sale of shares in Lloyds Bank, as George Osborne seeks to fulfil his General Election pledge to sell a large chunk directly to retail investors. The sale could prove popular, but would also mean selling the shares at a discount – reducing the profit [...]
European Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker says Brexit “not desired” by British June 1, 2015 Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, has claimed that Britain will not vote to leave the EU. Juncker said that was confident that a Brexit would not occur, stating that David Cameron's motives in holding a referendum were to make Britain's membership permanent. Speaking to the German newspaper, Sueddeutsche Zeitung, he said: Brexit is not [...]
Lib Dem leadership candidate Norman Lamb calls for cannabis legalisation June 1, 2015 Norman Lamb, a candidate in the two-horse race to succeed Nick Clegg as leader of the Liberal Democrats, has called for the UK to legalise cannabis. The former care and support minister said Britain would benefit from legalising, regulating and taxing the sale of cannabis – drawing on the examples of US states such as [...]
Electoral system “bust” in most unrepresentative election to date June 1, 2015 Westminster's voting system is "bust" following the result of the General Election, the Electoral Reform Society (ERS) has said. In a report entitled "The 2015 General Election: A voting system in crisis", the ERS argued that the case for electoral reform was undeniable, following the "most disproportionate [result] in British history". Read more: General election [...]
Forgetting Ed Miliband: Internet trumps Milifandom and the bacon sandwich with a rom-com starring former Labour leader and Russell Brand June 1, 2015 After those crazy, heady days of Milifandom – and before that, the meme that was bacon sandwich – it was only a matter of time before the internet turned its hand to Ed Miliband's defeat and his unlikely love-in with Russell Brand. Brand fell so hard he called for viewers of The Trews [...]
Labour leader candidates Yvette Cooper and Andy Burnham back 50p rate of tax May 31, 2015 Labour leadership candidates Yvette Cooper and Andy Burnham both say they support former Labour leader Ed Miliband’s proposal to raise the top rate of tax to 50p. Cooper said yesterday that increasing taxes for individuals earning more than £150,000 was “the right thing to do.” “I think that’s about Labour values, about saying the tax [...]
Sadiq Khan: “aspiration” will be overused in Labour leadership race May 31, 2015 Sadiq Khan has criticised the way Labour politicians are looking back on Tony Blair’s time in office with “rose-tinted glasses”, claiming that the party no longer understands aspiration. The former shadow justice secretary, who resigned after the General Election in order to prepare for his candidacy for London mayor, said that some in his party [...]
London mayor election: David Lammy says the capital doesn’t need a “party stooge” May 31, 2015 David Lammy has said that London needs a mayor who is "independent-minded" and "not a party stooge", as he set out his bid to replace Boris Johnson in City Hall. He said he wanted to be London's next Labour mayor, who will focus on housing and tackling the "big equalities" in the city. Read more: [...]