Plans to house asylum seekers in military bases and barges as government pushes ahead to ‘discourage’ small boat crossings March 29, 2023 Asylum seekers will be housed in disused military bases, ferries and barges under government plans to reduce spending on hotels. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick is expected to announce the use of two RAF sites as he tries to reduce the £6.8m a day the government says it spends on hotel accommodation. The plans are likely [...]
In defence of capitalism: Does money corrupt politics? March 29, 2023 In the fifth of an eight-part series, Dr Rainer Zitelmann – the author of the new book In Defence of Capitalism – argues that free markets, capitalism and money make for fairer elections and freer democracies, not the other way round The American intellectual Noam Chomsky, one of the most popular critics of capitalism, writes [...]
The £100,000 childcare cut-off is hardly crime of the century, but it’s bad policy March 29, 2023 So here’s a column in defence of the one per cent, which at least is something you don’t see in any other rag, so let’s hope you enjoy the novelty. Worse, it’s arguing that those paid north of £100,000 are being hard done by. A challenging sell. But, but, but. It is increasingly this paper’s [...]
Superloop or ‘Superflop’? Khan unveils £6m bus network connecting outer London ahead of ULEZ expansion March 28, 2023 Sadiq Khan has unveiled plans for a new “Superloop” orbital bus network linking services around outer London. Express bus routes on the network will have limited stops, faster journey times and connect outer London, City Hall says. The mayor of London is funding £6m towards the scheme, but TfL says it will cost much more. [...]
Tech Nation in talks with Brent Hoberman’s Founders Forum as wind-down date looms March 28, 2023 Start-up quango Tech Nation said it is in talks to sell its brand to Brent Hoberman’s Founders Forum today as it prepares to wind down at the end of this month.
Corbyn blocked from being a Labour candidate – will he now stand as an independent? March 28, 2023 Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been officially blocked from standing as a candidate for the Labour Party at the next general election. Labour’s governing body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), today agreed to prevent Corbyn standing for the party in future elections. Leader Sir Keir Starmer proposed a motion for the party not to [...]
UK urges Israel PM Netanyahu to seek ‘long term compromise’ on reform plans as thousands strike and protest March 28, 2023 Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday announced a delay in his judicial overhaul plan, saying he wanted to give time to seek a compromise over the contentious package with his political opponents. He made the announcement after two days of large protests against the plan. “When there’s an opportunity to avoid civil war through [...]
Complaints over unsafe housing taking a year to resolve after campaign to speed it up March 28, 2023 Social housing tenants are being forced to wait 12 months or more for the housing ombudsman to deal with complaints of unsafe conditions, despite a government campaign to speed up the process. Earlier this year, Michael Gove, the Housing Secretary, launched the “Make it Right” advertising campaign, directing people to complain to the housing ombudsman [...]
Analysis: SNP emerges weaker than ever after Yousaf’s victory March 27, 2023 Rivals scrapped bitterly over their records and castigated each other’s positions, as they fought to take up a dying cause. This isn’t about the new series of Succession, but another bruising round of political infighting and power plays in the Scottish National Party. Humza Yousaf’s election as the UK’s first Muslim leader of a (for [...]
Jeremy Hunt’s Parent Trap: Why young City parents are better off earning £99k than £135k March 27, 2023 Some 55,000 parents will miss out on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s expanded package of childcare support due to earning more than £100,000, new research out today shows. Number crunchers at the research firm the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) reckon 71 per cent more working parents over the next five years will be incentivised [...]