Would raising the minimum wage really attract too many immigrants, as Nigel Farage suggests? April 17, 2015 The arguments against raising the minimum wage are many and varied – but is Ukip leader Nigel Farage's assertion that an increase might attract Romanian immigrants fair? While businesses argue hiking the minimum wage could raise the unemployment rate and lead to more illegal labour, today Farage suggested it would cause "even more people [to] [...]
General Election 2015: More people watched last night’s Emmerdale than the BBC debate April 17, 2015 Was it the lack of star quality in the form of Prime Minister David Cameron or the lure of the Dingles? We're not sure but either way last night's leaders' debate got a pummelling in the ratings. BBC1's Election Debate – billed as the challengers' contest with no Cameron and no Nick Clegg – was [...]
General Election 2015: Miliband unpaid internship ban previously supported by PwC, KPMG and Axa April 17, 2015 Ed Miliband will promise to ban unpaid internships if he becomes the next prime minister. In a bid to woo young voters in a speech today, the Labour leader will say companies will be banned from offering unpaid work experience for more than four weeks under a Labour government. Miliband will say lengthy unpaid internships [...]
BBC debate: The leaders’ debate had a surpise winner… according to social media April 17, 2015 Twitter exploded during the BBC challengers’ debate (Source: Twitter) The five party leaders battled it out yesterday evening in a hotly contested debate designed to rouse support ahead of the General Election – now just 19 days away. Labour leader Ed Miliband emerged triumphant from the debate according to the polling data immediately after, with SNP [...]
General Election 2015: Alliance Trust CEO Katherine Garrett-Cox wants a sustainable economy and flexible working April 16, 2015 ELECTION COUNTDOWN: 20 DAYS TO GO Every day until the final week of the election campaign, we ask a business leader to say what policies would entice them to vote for a particular party. KATHERINE GARRETT-COX: CEO, ALLIANCE TRUST ■ You commit to creating a healthy, sustainable economy which is so very [...]
Unite the Union gave £1m to Labour at start of General Election campaign April 16, 2015 Labour raked in over £1m in donations during the first week of the official General Election campaign, double the amount the Conservatives raised during that same period. The figures, revealed by the Electoral Commission, who record donations over £7,500, show that almost all that money came from a £1,005,000 contribution from Unite the Union. Another [...]
General Election 2015: Ed Miliband comes out smiling in opposition leaders’ big BBC TV debate April 16, 2015 It was a big night for Ed Miliband. Going into a debate of the opposition party leaders, he had to prove that he was the Prime Minister in waiting at the same time as taking friendly fire from other left-wing parties, and anti-Westminster shots from Nigel Farage. Agreeing to debate was definitely a risk for [...]
BBC TV debate: The good, the bad and the soundbites from the opposition leaders April 16, 2015 ED MILIBAND: LABOUR The best: “I’ve fought Tories all my life Nicola” he told Sturgeon, before referencing 1979, when the SNP brought down a Labour government to bring in Margaret Thatcher. It stopped Sturgeon pitching herself as the anti-Conservative leader. The worst: Miliband failed to give a straight answer on what would happen [...]
Ed Miliband wins BBC challengers’ debate and Nicola Sturgeon comes second April 16, 2015 After an hour and half of intense debate between the General Election 'challengers' on the BBC, Ed Miliband has been declared the winner. A Survation poll for the Daily Mirror found 35 per cent thought the Labour leader had come out on top, with Nicola Sturgeon taking second place on 31 per cent and Nigel Farage [...]
BBC debate: Here’s what Twitter commentators made of Nigel Farage’s attack on left-wing audience April 16, 2015 The BBC leaders' debate had clashes on all sides, but Nigel Farage was very much everyone's favourite target. After Farage argued immigration was a driving factor in the rise of house prices, the other leaders piled in on him. However, Farage also turned to an interesting tactic of attacking the audience. The Ukip leader said [...]