Labour has unveiled its London mayor shortlist: Tessa Jowell, Sadiq Khan, David Lammy, Diane Abbott, Gareth Thomas, Christian Wolmar June 13, 2015 The Labour party has revealed that six City Hall hopefuls will be fighting to become its candidate in next year's London mayoral elections. Frontrunners include MPs Dame Tessa Jowell and Sadiq Khan. MPs David Lammy, Diane Abbott, Gareth Thomas are also on the list, as well as journalist Christian Wolmar. The candidates would've had to receive a minimum [...]
Labour frontbenchers plan to launch separate pro-EU campaign June 12, 2015 A group of Labour frontbenchers is planning to launch a pro-European campaign group for the upcoming EU referendum. Senior figures in the party will be launching the "unashamedly" pro-EU group, separate to the Conservatives' campaign. It is reported that they have begun discussions for funding and office space in order to launch their campaign as [...]
Gordon Brown: UK on “life support” with government giving up on Scotland June 12, 2015 Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned that the UK is on "life support" because the government has given up on saving the union. He claimed that the Conservatives' positioning as "the English Nationalist party" threatened the union, which has lasted 308 years. His intervention comes as the Tories bring forward plans to limit Scottish [...]
Labour leadership race: Who is backing who in the battle to succeed Ed Miliband? June 12, 2015 Labour leadership nominations are nearing the end of their first week, as candidates weigh up their options for their prospective bids for power. While Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall each have enough MPs backing them for a place on the leadership ballot, two more candidates for leader are currently vying for a place. [...]
David Cameron’s migrant welfare reforms rejected as he holds “open and frank” EU talks June 12, 2015 David Cameron has held "open and frank" discussions with EU leaders in his ongoing campaign to renegotiate the UK's relationship with the EU. The Prime Minister met with leaders from Belgium, Spain, Finland and Romania as he continued to push his agenda for EU reform in Brussels. Migrant benefits become a sticking point Each of the [...]
Tower Hamlets mayoral election: Labour’s John Biggs beats Rabina Khan – but with fewer votes than last year’s election against Lutfur Rahman June 12, 2015 Labour's John Biggs has been elected mayor of Tower Hamlets – but with fewer votes than he received when he went up against Lutfur Rahman last year. Biggs secured 32,754 votes, including second preferences, to beat independent candidate Rabina Khan, who received 26, 384. Turnout was just 37.73 per cent. In 2014, he [...]
EU in/out referendum: Just 15 per cent of Tories want UK to leave June 11, 2015 Just 15 per cent of Conservative party members would “definitely” vote for the UK to leave the EU, according to a new poll out today. The poll, led by Tim Bale at Queen Mary University of London and Paul Webb at the University of Sussex, found that while about one in seven Tory party members [...]
French cry foul over Manual Valls’ Champions League final freebie June 11, 2015 Under-fire French prime minister Manuel Valls attempted yesterday to quell the backlash from his all-expenses-paid junket to the Champions League final. Barcelona fan Valls brought two of his children to the showpiece match in Berlin on Saturday in a government aircraft, paid for by the taxpayer, after leaving the Socialist Party conference in Poitiers. [...]
UK’s £56bn aerospace, defence, security and space sectors come out strongly against Brexit June 11, 2015 A whopping 86 per cent of the UK's £56bn-a-year aerospace, defence, security and space sectors want Britain to remain part of the European Union, a new study has found. Just two per cent of companies in the combined sectors' trade body ADS said Brexit would have a positive impact on their business. The [...]
First Minister’s Questions: Scottish government brands Osborne’s budget cuts “unacceptable” June 11, 2015 John Swinney, deputy first minister of Scotland, has said that austerity measures proposed by George Osborne are "utterly unacceptable". Mr Swinney said that he believes the chancellor's budget reductions are unacceptable, urging Osborne to reconsider and find alternatives. Earlier, George Osborne announced that £3bn of savings would have to be made for this financial year. [...]