Inheritance tax seen as the most unfair by voters in all parties March 19, 2015 Inheritance tax remains one of the most unpopular taxes and is loathed across the party lines. A new YouGov poll for the Red Box found 59 per cent of voters thought inheritance tax was unfair – the highest figure for all the taxes polled. The BBC licence fee and fuel duty came joint second for [...]
Jeremy Browne: George Osborne has given up making the case for a smaller state March 19, 2015 George Osborne has given up making the case for a smaller state and conceded ground to the Labour party, according to a former government minister. Speaking at a post-Budget briefing hosted by the Taxpayers' Alliance and the Institute of Economic Affairs, ex-home and foreign office minister Jeremy Browne said Osborne was failing to make the [...]
The UK’s net migration estimates have been revised up by 57 per cent March 19, 2015 The government's plans to cut immigration are in tatters, after a report from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) upped its estimates of the number of people moving to the UK. It predicts the influx will provide a boost in tax receipts and a fillip for potential output growth. The government initially promised to cut [...]
Dominic Grieve: Brexit would turn 2m Brits into illegal immigrants March 19, 2015 The former attorney general has launched a scathing attack on those who want Britain out of the EU. Dominic Grieve warned that with the international situation so precarious there were significant dangers to leaving a supranational organisation such as the EU. He added that the free movement of people within was clearly non-negotiable. "The requirements [...]
Alexis Tsipras defiant despite growing anger on talks March 18, 2015 Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras sent a strong anti-austerity message to the country’s parliament yesterday. However, in a blow to Syriza’s solidarity, the party’s chief economist Yiannis Milios left his post. “People have asked us to put an end to austerity and bailout agreements, to begin the process of reclaiming the dignity of the nation,” [...]
Brexit will damage the UK economy, say 54pc of small businesses March 18, 2015 The majority of Britain's small businesses think Brexit would damage the UK economy. The Zurich SME Risk Index showed on Wednesday that 54 per cent of small businesses believes British withdrawal from the EU would be bad for the country compared with 33 per cent who want to see Britain leave Europe. The polls continue [...]
Who is Nigel Farage’s political soulmate? Meet senator Rand Paul March 18, 2015 Nigel Farage's new book – The Purple Revolution – gives the definitive inside account as to how a party once on the fringes of British politics came to be a major player on the national stage, told by the man who arguably made it all happen. Among the revelations of how Ukip managed to snag [...]
Conservative Party attack ad slams Balls and Miliband’s time working in Gordon Brown’s Treasury March 18, 2015 Yesterday evening, on the eve of the Budget, the Tories launched a fresh attack ad lambasting Ed Miliband and Ed Balls for their time working as Treasury aides to Gordon Brown. The video features the two Eds beside Gordon Brown in 1997, shortly after Labour's historic landslide victory. The Tory ad argues the last Labour [...]
Benjamin Netanyahu has won Israel’s election, and he could easily become the country’s longest-serving Prime Minister March 18, 2015 Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Lukid party has won the Israeli election, now occupying 30 out of 120 seats in the Knesset. Its main rival, the centre-left Zionist Union, fell some way behind with 24 seats, according to Israeli media. If Netanyahu is able to put together an acceptable right-wing coalition with other parties, he will [...]
Exclusive: David Lammy draws on business contacts for London Mayoral backing March 17, 2015 Former City lawyer David Lammy has secured fresh financial backing as he steps up his campaign to be the next Mayor of London. Jonathan Goldstein, the head of European investments for Cain Hoy, an offshoot of Guggenheim Partners, told City A.M. yesterday that he will be backing Lammy financially. He said Lammy, who is Labour [...]