HS3 rail line: Cameron and Osborne back plans to cut journey times and create “northern power house” October 26, 2014 Both the Prime Minister and the chancellor will back plans for a high-speed rail line in the North of England dubbed HS3. The route will link Manchester and Leeds and is part of George Osborne's vision to create a "northern powerhouse" to extend economic prosperity beyond London and the South East. HS3 would slash the [...]
NFL UK: George Osborne backs London franchise October 22, 2014 Chancellor George Osborne has given his support to the idea of an American Football team in the capital, arguing it would be a “huge boost to London”. With Wembley due to host the second of three NFL games this season on Sunday, and the FA contemplating hosting England games elsewhere, there has been increased [...]
Yet another missed deficit target for Osborne – public sector pay is to blame October 21, 2014 Why can’t the UK government get its deficit down? This issue has been exercising commentators recently, in the light of the latest assessment from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) that George Osborne will once again miss his target for the deficit in the 2014-15 financial year. Of course, the size of the deficit has [...]
George Osborne braced for bad news on deficit reduction – London Report October 19, 2014 Public finance figures due out tomorrow are likely to be a blow to chancellor George Osborne, with tax receipts lowered by very low earnings growth. Economists predict that Osborne is now unlikely to meet fiscal targets for the year, despite improved economic activity, stronger house prices and an improved labour market. Howard Archer, of IHS [...]
George Osborne’s pensions revolution: Withdrawing cash early is big risk October 14, 2014 The insurance industry and business groups have issued a stark warning following the government’s most recent pensions announcement, claiming that withdrawing cash from pension pots too early could store up huge financial risks for the UK for years to come. Yesterday chancellor George Osborne hailed the next stage in his pensions revolution with news [...]
UK’s Eurostar stake up for sale as George Osborne looks to raise £300m October 13, 2014 The government is looking for a buyer for its 40 per cent stake in the cross-channel Eurostar to raise up to £300m. Chancellor George Osborne has invited bidders for the train operator, which is also owned by the French state-owned rail operator SNCF and the Belgian state-owned SNCB, and hopes to finalise the sale during [...]
George Osborne’s changed his unhealthy ways but most MPs indulge a tad too much October 6, 2014 They're in the public eye, up to their knees in advisers and not wanting for pocket money to spend in Holland & Barrett, but Britain’s MPs are an unhealthy bunch according to Nuffield Health. A poll of 100 MPs found almost half failed to meet the government’s recommended two-and-a-half hours of moderate activity a [...]
George Osborne finds his Tory party conference speech a little taxing but recovers speedily September 29, 2014 Party goers at the Tory conference in Birmingham had a difficult decision last night. Should they quaff champers at The Telegraph’s shindig or shuffle to Sky’s event? The two parties went head to head from 10.30pm, with David Cameron expected to show face at the former. No doubt Osborne felt he deserved a drink following [...]
Gutsy Osborne was right to gamble on a promise of further spending cuts September 29, 2014 ED MILIBAND made a pitch for office that was so forgettable that he forgot it himself.” That line was the key message chancellor George Osborne wanted us to take away from his party conference speech yesterday. While the Conservatives have a plan to continue to eliminate the budget deficit and create the conditions for prosperous [...]
George Osborne would cap family benefits at £23,000 to tackle “culture of welfare dependency” September 29, 2014 The Conservatives would freeze working age benefits for the next two years if the party secures the public vote next year, chancellor George Osborne has said. Speaking today at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, he warned of a growing “culture of welfare dependency” among young people, which the state could no longer fund. [...]