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 [...]
Wicked London stage show soars to record revenue January 2, 2025 The West End production of Wicked, prequel to MGM classic The Wizard of Oz, reported its revenue rose 4.5 per cent to a record £27.8m last year. The rise was thanks to hype for the movie based on it, which yesterday became the highest-earning musical adaptation of all time. Mega stars Ariana Grande and Jeff [...]
Political deaths in 2024: The well-known names we lost in the last year December 30, 2024 Whether a former deputy Prime Minister infamous for throwing a punch, to a Scottish independence campaigner and former First Minister, 2024 saw the deaths of several political heavyweights. As the year draws to a close, we look back at the lives of some well-known Westminster names who have died over the past 12 months. Derek [...]
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 [...]
FCA softens ‘name and shame’ plans after City backlash November 28, 2024 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has softened its controversial ‘name and shame’ plans and will take into account the damaging impact the proposals could have on companies, after furious backlash from the City and Westminster. In a statement today, the watchdog said it would set out plans for “further engagement” after its initial plans triggered [...]
Former MP describes ‘enormous guilt’ over Westminster honeypot scandal November 16, 2024 Former MP William Wragg has described the feeling of “enormous guilt” that washed over him as he realised he had fallen victim to a sophisticated scam designed to target politicians in Westminster. A police probe began in April earlier this year after it was suggested at least 12 men with links to Westminster had received [...]
‘Not the 1970s’: Minister slaps down four-day week calls from civil servants November 14, 2024 Civil servants won’t get a four-day working week as we’re “not living in the 1970s”, the pensions minister has said. Emma Reynolds slapped down the demand from Whitehall bureaucrats on Times Radio, after it emerged staff at one department claimed the policy could save the government millions. Workers at the Department for Environment, Food and [...]
Column: The challenges facing Kemi Badenoch… November 6, 2024 Politicians, the public often decry, lack real-world experience. Whether it be running a business, working in healthcare, serving in the armed forces, anything that demonstrates their ‘feet on the ground’ credentials is a plus. It covers parents too. Just look at Keir Starmer’s oft-touted “toolmaker father”; Rishi Sunak, the “son of a pharmacist; and even [...]
Sketch: PMQs falls flat – do Sunak and Starmer not get the rules? October 9, 2024 With the Tories immersed in a leadership contest and Labour emerging from weeks of freebie headlines and internal drama, Westminster watchers will have turned to this week’s PMQs for a much needed injection of drama. Grab your popcorn, it’s box office time. Surely the acting leader of the Conservative Party could at least muster up [...]
Oxford Street: Former MP for the City and Westminster brands pedestrianisation ‘bullying’ September 17, 2024 A row has erupted over Sadiq Khan’s plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street as the area’s former MPs branded the move “bullying”. The mayor of London today unveiled proposals to ban traffic from the iconic central London retail destination, in what he hopes will reinvigorate the nation’s “most famous high street”. But Nickie Aiken, the former [...]