Workers rights: Don’t let ‘rogue’ firms undercut good employers, MPs urge March 3, 2025 Changes to the government’s workers’ rights package should be made to ensure “rogue firms” don’t undercut Britain’s best employers, MPs have urged. The Employment Rights Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament, should have loopholes closed to avoid some companies exploiting work insecurity, the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee (BTC) has [...]
International development minister resigns over cuts to foreign aid February 28, 2025 International development minister Anneliese Dodds has resigned over the Prime Minister’s cuts to the foreign aid budget. Dodds, a former shadow chancellor, has quit her posts in the foreign office and as women and equalities minister, in the wake of Keir Starmer’s move to reduce overseas aid to fund increased defence spending, which she revealed [...]
Defence spending to rise to 2.5 per cent by 2027 via aid cuts, Starmer confirms February 25, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer has announced the “biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War” as he confirmed the UK would spend 2.5 per cent of GDP [gross domestic product] by 2027. The Prime Minister unveiled the policy in a statement to the House of Commons after reports he was set [...]
Reynolds sorry for calling himself solicitor but denies ‘misrepresentating’ February 25, 2025 Jonathan Reynolds has apologised for describing himself as a solicitor in Parliament, but has insisted he was not “misrepresenting myself professionally”. The business secretary has been accused of claiming to have been a solicitor, despite only ever being a trainee, before becoming an MP, including in a 2014 speech in the House of Commons, on [...]
UK’s audit chief ‘open to learning’ from Elon Musk’s DOGE in US February 5, 2025 The head of the government’s spending watchdog has said he is open to learning from Elon Musk’s US “department of government efficiency”, or DOGE. Gareth Davies, the UK’s chief auditor, gave his annual speech to Parliament on Tuesday, warning that money was being “wasted” and public services “compromised” as he stressed that there was a [...]
‘Where is the Chancellor?’: Rachel Reeves urged to cancel China trip amid gilt turmoil January 9, 2025 Mel Stride has criticised Rachel Reeves for her absence in parliament as the UK government’s borrowing costs soar, asking the commons: “Where is the Chancellor?” The Conservative shadow Chancellor hit out at Reeves, who is coming under pressure to cancel a long-planned trip to China and Davos, during an urgent question in the Commons. It [...]
Post Office scandal: Lawyers paid millions as MPs call for transparency on legal costs January 2, 2025 Lawyers from City firms were making millions whilst the majority of the money set aside for redress scheme has not to be paid out to the Post Office victims
Calls to reform ‘beyond repair’ lobbying rules after freebie-gate December 5, 2024 The government should reform the UK’s “beyond repair” lobbying rules in a bid to rebuild public trust in politics in the wake of the freebie-gate scandal, ministers have been urged. Professional body the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is campaigning for the government to replace the 2014 Lobbying Act with fresh legislation to close [...]
Employment reforms need considerable thought to not ‘swamp business’ December 4, 2024 ELA urged Parliament that the Employment Bill needs "considerable..thought" to not to "swamp business" with costs or obligations.
Labour urged to scrap ‘vindictive’ farm tax as Tories set to force vote December 1, 2024 Labour MPs are being urged to back scrapping the “vindictive” changes to inheritance tax (IHT) on farms, as the Conservative Party prepares to bring a vote on the issue. Tory MPs are set to use their opposition day debate on Wednesday, December 4, to insist Parliament hold a vote on Labour’s controversial move for farmers [...]