Boris questioned cost of key tory pledge April 14, 2015 LONDON mayor Boris Johnson insisted yesterday that he backs the Conservatives’ plan to allow housing association tenants the right to buy their homes. Johnson had previously said that extending the scheme “would involve massive subsidies”, but tweeted last night: “Brilliant Conservative policy on the Right to Buy, and a good way of ensuring it is [...]
Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis heads to Washington ahead of crunch talks April 14, 2015 Greece’s finance minister Yanis Varoufakis will jet off to the US tonight to meet President Barack Obama, as well as the lawyer who helped Greece restructure its debt in 2012. Varoufakis will meet Obama tomorrow. It will be followed by meetings with European Central Bank head Mario Draghi on Friday, Secretary of the Treasury Jack [...]
Was a part of the Conservative manifesto borrowed from an Obama campaign ad? April 14, 2015 Most of the focus on the Tory manifesto has been on the pledges to extend right-to-buy, double free child care and spend another £8bn on the NHS. But one of the stranger aspects of the Conservative manifesto can be found on page three. The heading declares in rather Orwellian fashion "we have a plan for [...]
Conservative manifesto clash? Boris Johnson said right-to-buy extension could be “extremely costly” April 14, 2015 Boris Johnson previously expressed serious doubts about the merits of one of the flagship policies in the Conservative manifesto. David Cameron said today a future Conservative government would extend Margaret Thatcher's famous right-to-buy scheme. The policy would allow housing association tenants to buy their homes at a massive discount. But Boris Johnson, London's Mayor and [...]
Mike Ashley’s Mash Holdings doubles profits after “gift” transfer of Sports Direct shares to Mash Beta April 14, 2015 Mike Ashley doubled his profits last year through his holding company through which he holds his stakes in Newcastle United and Sports Direct. Mash Holdings' profit before tax soared 111 per cent to £542.7m for the year to April 30 2014, up from £256.4m in 2012/2013. It included the profit raised from Ashley's move [...]
Conservative manifesto: David Cameron gives “absolutely no detail” of major cuts, says IFS April 14, 2015 The plan David Cameron hopes will win the Tories the General Election back has been blasted by the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) over a "lack of detail". The Tory leader presented his party's manifesto in a speech delivered in Swindon earlier today. The document was brimming with goodies for the electorate, including an [...]
David Cameron to unveil right-to-buy extension to housing association properties, which could benefit 1.3m families April 14, 2015 David Cameron is set to announce a bold extension of Margaret Thatcher's iconic right-to-buy scheme. In a move designed to appeal to C2 voters, the Prime Minister will pledge discounts of up to 70 per cent for around 1.3m families living in housing association properties towards buying their own home. Cameron will unveil the scheme as [...]
Hillary Clinton will make it to the White House if the Republicans remain divided April 13, 2015 Hillary Clinton announced on Sunday her intention to run to become the first female President in US history. She is the overwhelming favourite to win the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, despite recent controversies over her personal email use when she was US secretary of state between 2009 and 2013. Although general election day remains [...]
Labour deal with Nicola Sturgeon will result in higher taxes and risks interest rate rise, warns Deutsche Bank April 13, 2015 A Labour-SNP deal after the General Election risks moving Labour even further to left with heavy tax increases, less austerity and could result in rising interest, according to Deutsche Bank. The top investment bank made the warning in an updated briefing note on the possible outcomes following the General Election. Deutsche Bank adds that no [...]
Labour party confused over austerity: Chuka Umunna clashes with Jim Murphy as Nicola Sturgeon soars in the polls April 13, 2015 As Labour attempts to claw back its credibility on the economy, two senior figures appear to be at odds with the party's approach to austerity. Ed Miliband presented Labour's manifesto in Manchester today with an eye-catching budget responsibility lock. Labour claimed their manifesto was fully costed and required no extra borrowing with the current deficit [...]