Labour smashes the “don’t mess with pensioners” rule September 9, 2024 Nothing in politics is more painful than the removal of a benefit to which the recipients have become accustomed. Successive Chancellors and Prime Ministers have discovered this, sometimes to their embarrassment and sometimes to their very great cost. Related to this first rule, comes another; don’t mess with pensioners. In fact, ‘not messing’ with them [...]
Keir Starmer doubles down on ‘unpopular’ decision to restrict winter fuel payments September 8, 2024 "Every Labour MP was elected in on the same mandate as I was, which was to deliver the change that we need for the country," Starmer said.
UK and US spy chiefs ‘working ceaselessly’ for Gaza ceasefire September 7, 2024 British and American spy chiefs have said they are together “working ceaselessly” for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, in a rare public statement. MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore and CIA director Bill Burns said the agencies have “exploited our intelligence channels to push hard for restraint and de-escalation” in the Middle East. In [...]
Keir Starmer visits Ireland in bid to reset UK’s relationship with Dublin September 7, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer is to visit Ireland as he seeks to reset the UK’s relationship with its nearest neighbour. The Prime Minister will travel to Dublin on Saturday to meet with the Taoiseach, Simon Harris, in his first official visit to Ireland. Commerce across the Irish Sea, a trade relationship worth 100 billion euros a [...]
The City needs a shake-up for Britain to attract the £1trillion it needs, warns Sir Nigel Wilson September 6, 2024 The UK must unlock a wave of cash from domestic pension funds and revamp the structure of its capital markets to attract the £1 trillion of investment needed to achieve its target growth rate over the next decade, a report by a City grandee has found. The Capital Markets of Tomorrow report, led by former [...]
Is there a Tufton Street of the left? September 5, 2024 With think tankers and campaigners being appointed to government, it’s tempting to think these secretive groups are calling the tune, but there are better ways to work out what Labour really thinks, says James Nation Over the last 14 years, there was a theory among some commentators that went something like this: yes, Conservative Prime [...]
Playing nice with trade unions won’t fix public services September 5, 2024 With trade unions promising further strike action despite generous pay settlements, Labour have found themselves in a bind of their own making, say Matthew Lesh Throughout the election campaign, Keir Starmer repeatedly pledged to end strikes by engaging in constructive dialogue with the unions. This always sounded like a pretty hollow promise. How could simply talking to [...]
Grenfell: Firms involved to be barred from public contracts, Starmer vows September 4, 2024 Companies involved in the failings that led to the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy will no longer be awarded government contracts, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Prime Minister apologised for the disaster – which saw 72 people die in the tower block blaze in June 2017 – in a grave statement to the House of [...]
Are the super-rich running out of road? September 4, 2024 As more western governments look at ways to increase taxes for the ultra-rich, Ali Lyon asks whether it will work
‘New footing’: Eurogroup president pledges closer ties with City of London as Brexit tensions ease September 4, 2024 The president of the EU’s council of financial ministers pledged closer ties with the City of London yesterday as he hailed a “new footing” in the relationship between Keir Starmer’s government and the bloc.