Nationwide rail strike is back on: RMT confirms action to take place on June 4 and June 11 May 28, 2015 The nationwide rail strike, called off at the 11th hour last week, has been rescheduled for next week. Transport union RMT confirmed that the first action would take place for 24 hours from 5pm on June 4 this afternoon. A second strike is being scheduled to run from just after midnight on June 9 [...]
Bills, bills, bills: EU referendum and Scotland bills go before parliament May 28, 2015 Just a day after the Queen's Speech confirmed what we knew the Tories would have to do, a bill has dropped into the House of Commons' in-tray aimed at clearing a path for the in-out vote to take place. The summary of the European Union Referendum Bill says its aim is “to make provision [...]
G7 Dresden meeting: Strange balloon protest and that awkward family photo aren’t the only things casting a shadow over the G7 meeting May 28, 2015 The G7 meeting is being overshadowed by fears of a Grexit… as well as a number of balloons with some of the world's most influential leaders on them. Protesters from the international group One released the balloons last night ahead of the Dresden meeting, which representatives from the US, UK, Canada, France, Italy, Japan [...]
Property prices: These are the most expensive homes in the world, while London’s most expensive home equals 131 “average” properties May 28, 2015 The most expensive property sold in London last year could have bought 131 “average” priced properties, a new report shows. The top selling home was a property that went for $98m, according to an annual white paper put out by Christie's International Real Estate. But London was not the city with the most [...]
Greek spokesman: Deal will “hopefully” be in place by Sunday May 28, 2015 Greece expects to have reached a deal “hopefully” as soon as Sunday. A team of negotiators from Athens has been locked in talks over its €320bn (£228bn) debt pile with its creditors the European Union, the European Central Bank and the IMF since February. It is not thought the deal will include the €20bn [...]
Southern, Southeastern and Abellio Greater Anglia top list of “claimable” delays: We’re missing out on thousands of compensation claims for delayed trains May 28, 2015 Your train is late again. Do you sigh, grit your teeth and try to keep smiling or mutter to yourself that you should claim compensation, then promptly forget by the time you reach the office? The vast majority of us never claim for delayed or cancelled trains – 85 per cent in fact – [...]
Queen’s Speech 2015: Five arrested after anti-austerity protest turned violent outside Downing Street, Trafalgar Square May 28, 2015 Five people were arrested after the anti-austerity protest in Whitehall and Trafalgar Square turned voilent yesterday. A 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault on police during the demonstration, which had been organised by the People's Assembly Against Austerity. Another was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon. [...]
Rail minister Claire Perry promises to tackle commuter chaos affecting Southern and Southeastern trains at London Bridge and Blackfriars May 28, 2015 Rail minister Claire Perry is building an action plan to tackle the chaos at London Bridge and Blackfriars stations following a “root and branch” review of Network Rail's plans. Perry, who has been in the role for nearly a year, recently met with Network Rail boss Mark Carne to review the work carried out [...]
Update: Firefighters put out blaze near Woolwich’s Royal Arsenal May 27, 2015 Update: Firefighters have put out a blaze at a Berkeley Homes building site on Arsenal Way, Woolwich this afternoon. Four fire engines and 21 firefighters and officers from Greenwich, East Greenwich and Plumstead attended the incident, and the fire was extinguished in just under an hour. Station manager Joe Kenny, who was at the scene, [...]
Libor case: Senior Bank of England official “The Hammer” received emails from Tom Hayes’ brokers May 27, 2015 A senior Bank of England official nicknamed “the Hammer” was sent emails that were part of an alleged campaign to rig the benchmark interest rates, a London court heard today. Martin Mallett, who at the time was chief currencies dealear at the BoE, was among dozens of people who received an email in 2007 [...]
