John McDonnell has accused Owen Smith supporters of threatening to divide Labour as Jeremy Corbyn prepares to reveal 10 pledges to “rebuild” Britain August 4, 2016 Jeremy Corbyn's right hand man has accused supporters of Labour leadership challenger Owen Smith of threatening to split the party. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell claimed that backers of Smith are warning the party will inevitably divide if Corbyn retains the party leadership. Speaking on BBC radio earlier, McDonnell called on Smith to denounce a split. [...]
Outside the UK, only one country thinks Brexit was the right decision for Britain, according to pollsters August 4, 2016 Just one out of 16 countries believes that the Brexit vote was the right decision for the country, according to new polling figures. Ipsos Mori last month quizzed 12,525 people online across nine European and seven non-European countries, but found that in only one did a majority support the Brexit verdict – Russia. 54 per [...]
Former chancellor George Osborne is responsible for turning the minimum wage into a political football August 4, 2016 Last summer, then-chancellor George Osborne unveiled his first post-coalition, true-blue Budget – and with it, a big jump in the minimum wage. This somewhat confusing re-brand saw the minimum wage become the “National Living Wage” (NLW), which Osborne decided would jump from £6.50 an hour to £7.20, and keep rising to £9 in time for the [...]
A rate cut could wipe £1.4bn off operating profits at the UK’s top banks August 4, 2016 Profits will be decimated at the UK’s top banks if, as widely expected, the Bank of England cuts interest rates to a historic low of 0.25 per cent today. New analysis by the banking practice of consultants Simon-Kucher and Partners predicts that lower rates would wipe £1.4bn off the operating profits at the UK’s top [...]
One in three London civil servants should be relocated outside the M25 to boost productivity August 4, 2016 One in three civil servants should be relocated outside London to boost productivity in public services, according to new report from think tank Policy Exchange, which comes as HMRC signs a lease for new offices in Croydon. According to Policy Exchange, roughly 25,000 civil servants could leave the capital in a bid to deliver more [...]
The UK has been “a difficult friend” to efforts to clamp down on tax evasion, Margaret Hodge has claimed August 4, 2016 International efforts to tackle tax evasion amount to little more than a sticking plaster, according to MPs, with the UK taking the blame. A new report from an all-party group chaired by Labour’s Margaret Hodge has slammed efforts by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to tackle corporate tax planning. In particular, the group [...]
New polling figures have illustrated exactly why a split could be an electoral disaster for Labour August 3, 2016 New figures from YouGov have lain bare the dangers of a party split for Labour, with just over six weeks left in its leadership contest. Labour will choose between incumbent Jeremy Corbyn and challenger Owen Smith on September 24, but speculation has been rife that the party could split if Corbyn remains as leader. Labour [...]
Ukip’s ruling committee “is not fit for purpose” says Woolfe as three members resign in protest over his exclusion August 3, 2016 Steven Woolfe has hit out at Ukip's ruling committee after it voted to exclude him from the party's leadership contest. Woolfe was the odds-on favourite to succeed Nigel Farage, but saw his bid blocked after paperwork supporting his campaign was submitted 20 minutes after a midday deadline. In a statement following the verdict, Woolfe said that [...]
Arron Banks blasts Ukip’s “insane” decision to exclude Steven Woolfe from the race to succeed Nigel Farage as party leader August 3, 2016 Ukip donor and Leave.EU founder Arron Banks has hit out at the party after it decided to bar migration spokesman Steven Woolfe from running in a leadership contest, warning it raises "fundamental questions" about the future of the party. Woolfe was excluded earlier today following a vote of Ukip's National Executive Committee, after he submitted paperwork for his [...]
Ukip leadership favourite Steven Woolfe excluded from contest to succeed Nigel Farage August 3, 2016 The favourite to succeed Nigel Farage at the top of Ukip is to be excluded from the party's leadership contest. Ukip migration and financial affairs spokesman Steven Woolfe submitted documentation in support of his campaign 20 minutes after a Sunday midday deadline, with officials on his campaign blaming technical difficulties. Candidates were required their application [...]