General Election 2015: Labour brushes off talk of an SNP alliance February 26, 2015 Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has moved to play down rumours that Labour could form a post-election alliance with the Scottish National Party. Labour didn’t, however, deny the plan but Balls did say that a deal with the SNP was not high up the Labour wish list. Speaking during a visit to Scotland Balls said: “It [...]
Fast-growth businesses wary of a Labour government February 25, 2015 The Labour party’s uncomfortable relationship with the world of business is laid bare this morning, with a new survey revealing that fewer than seven per cent of fast-growing firms think its policies would support their growth. When asked “which political party do you think has the best policies to support your business’s expansion?”, 71 per cent [...]
OECD: Keep UK growing with spending cuts and immigration February 24, 2015 BRITAIN is outstripping rival economies across the developed world, with a successful balance of spending cuts and a flexible jobs market, the influential Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said yesterday. But more needs to be done, spreading spending cuts into previously protected departments such as healthcare, and reversing damaging moves to cut immigration. [...]
Athens torn over compromise with EU so soon after election February 24, 2015 GREEK leaders were divided yesterday over the compromises being agreed with other European nations, with some backing the deal to extend the bailout and others attacking the failure to stick by election vows. Energy minister Panagiotis Lafazanis voiced his opposition to any privatisations, Greek media reported, while there is also the threat of a coalition [...]
General Election 2015: Will the government raise the minimum wage? February 23, 2015 Minimum wage in the UK should rise by 20p to £6.70 an hour, according to the Low Pay Commission. The rise, the commission says, should take place in October, and would mean a pay rise for 1.2m workers. If the government decides to implement the rise, which it may do in next month’s budget, it [...]
Tories suspend Sir Malcom Rifkind as chief whip over cash for access claims February 23, 2015 The Conservative Party has suspended Sir Malcolm Rifkind from Parliament after he was caught in a "cash for access" sting. Rifkind and Labour MP Jack Straw were secretly filmed offering to use contacts and influence in exchange for payment from a private company. Both men have denied wrongdoing but have referred themselves to Parliament's standards watchdog. [...]
General Election 2015: ITV and BBC to show seven-way debates, Channel 4 and Sky share head-to-head February 23, 2015 ITV and BBC will broadcast two separate seven-way debates between political party leaders ahead of the general election, while Sky and Channel 4 will both share a head-to-head between David Cameron and Ed Miliband. The broadcasters drew lots to decide how to distribute coverage of the debates which will see party leaders given [...]
Rothschild eyes pre-election bonus payouts to avoid Ed Balls tax February 23, 2015 Financial giant Rothschild is considering whether to hand out 2014 bonuses to staff early in order to avoid potential taxes that could be brought in if Labour wins the election. Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has promised to introduce a £1.5bn to £2bn tax on bonuses during its first year in office to fund a “jobs [...]
Jack Straw suspends himself from Labour over cash for access claims February 23, 2015 Jack Straw has suspended himself from the Labour party over claims that he was preparing to offer his influence in return for money. The former foreign secretary, along with Tory MP Sir Malcolm Rifkind, were secretely filmed by Channel 4’s Dispatches programme in a joint investigation with the Daily Telegraph discussing how they would be [...]
UK investment bank Rothschild could pay bonuses early in case Labour wins February 22, 2015 UK investment bank Rothschild is weighing up paying staff bonuses early, in order to avoid new taxes that could be brought in if Labour wins the general election. The Financial Times spoke with two sources “familiar with the bank’s thinking” and revealed the banks could pay bonuses to its 1,000 London staff before the traditional [...]