David Cameron dealt EU job reprieve as Lord Hill handed finance role September 10, 2014 President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has dealt David Cameron a reprieve yesterday by giving the financial services portfolio to Conservative peer Lord Jonathan Hill. Cameron, who opposed Juncker’s appointment earlier this year, had made no secret of his desire for a strong economic portfolio to bolster the UK’s influence in Europe. The Prime [...]
David Cameron and Ed Miliband head to Scotland for last minute campaigning as union hangs in the balance September 9, 2014 Leaders of the UK’s three main political parties all fly to Scotland today in a last-ditch attempt to persuade Scots north of the border to vote against independence in just eight days’ time. David Cameron, along with Labour’s Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, made the unprecedented move of cancelling Prime Minister’s question [...]
US finalises new Russia sanctions plan as EU hesitates September 9, 2014 The US is putting the finishing touches to a new tranche of sanctions aimed at Russia, including powers to curb the nation’s defence, energy and financial sectors, it announced yesterday. The US government is seeking both to “deepen and broaden” existing sanctions against President Vladimir Putin’s government, following continued unrest in eastern Ukraine. State department [...]
EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou launches Rightmove killer easyProperty September 9, 2014 Airline entrepreneur Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has unveiled his latest no-frills business idea, an online estate agent called easyProperty. The venture, for which he is seeking crowdfunded capital, will rival relative newcomers Rightmove and Zoopla in a bid to unseat traditional estate agents by offering cut price services. Users of the website will be able to [...]
Insurers warn over industrial deafness claim rise September 9, 2014 CLAIMS for industrial deafness are fast becoming the new “cash cow” for lawyers specialising in settling such cases, the Association of British Insurers is warning. Lawyers can on average recoup around £10,500 per deafness claim, compared with £500 for whiplash cases, the insurance industry watchdog believes. It is concerned that insurers are paying over the [...]
Scottish Independence: Brown storms back into fray over Yes threat September 8, 2014 The battle to keep the United Kingdom together stepped up a notch last night as Gordon Brown dramatically returned to the fray. The ex-Prime Minister unveiled a detailed timetable for further devolution to Scotland, throwing a planned cross-party announcement later this week into disarray. It came as a late night poll from TNS put the [...]
Nick Clegg rules out London air expansion plans September 8, 2014 LIBERAL Democrat leader Nick Clegg has ruled out airport expansion in London if his party is elected in 2015. Launching the party’s draft manifesto yesterday, Clegg vowed to oppose any expansion of Heathrow, Stansted or Gatwick, as well as a new airport in the Thames Estuary because of air and noise pollution. The party is [...]
Independence referendum: No campaign rushes to convince Scotland to stay September 7, 2014 Westminster’s political heavyweights pressed the panic button last night in the race to keep Scotland part of the United Kingdom, spurred into action by a shock poll showing the campaign for independence edging ahead for the first time. The damning new figures by YouGov show the Better Together campaign, backed by Labour, the Conservatives and [...]
Liberal Democrats will offer free bus passes to 16-21 year olds in England, says Clegg September 7, 2014 The Liberal Democrats will today launch their pre-manifesto with a policy of subsidised bus passes for 16-21 year olds in England if the party is elected next May. The pledge, which will cost around £500m a year, will be part subsidised by abolishing free TV licenses and winter fuel payments for pensioners in households paying [...]
Interview: YouGov’s Anthony Wells on dropping a Scottish independence bombshell September 7, 2014 “Polling is powerful stuff,” YouGov’s resident political expert Anthony Wells explains. “Any poll is a snapshot, but they are sort of self-fulfilling. If a party is doing well and people see it as doing well then they are more likely to back it.” That’s what’s happening in Scotland, Wells adds. If anyone understands the power [...]
