Gender pay gap: Proportion of female high earners remains stubbornly unchanged at 27 per cent November 30, 2015 Just over a quarter of the UK’s high earners are women, and new research shows this proportion hasn’t budged in years, despite initiatives to shrink the pay gap between men and women. In absolute numbers, there are more women earning a high salary, as the number of high earners among both sexes has gone up [...]
COP21 Paris climate summit: Business has role in fighting climate change, says David Cameron November 30, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron will today say that business has a vital role to play in fighting climate change because it is too large an issue for governments alone to deal with. Setting out his priorities for negotiations at the COP21 climate change summit in Paris, he will also say Britain wants to see a [...]
MPs back sugar tax endorsed by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver November 30, 2015 An influential parliamentary committee has called for a new “sugary drinks tax” on full sugar soft drinks. In a report published today, the health select committee says that “bold and urgent action” is required to curb childhood obesity. Committee chair Sarah Wollaston, a GP who has been the Conservative MP for Totnes since 2010, said: “One-third [...]
CBI director-general Carolyn Fairbairn says mid-sized firms are the “missing link” in the British economy November 30, 2015 Carolyn Fairbairn will use her first major speech as Confederation of British Industry (CBI) director-general today to call on the government to introduce new policies to promote medium-sized businesses. Speaking at CBI event in London, Fairbairn will say that Britain’s 3,000 so-called “scale-up medium-sized businesses” (MSBs) contributed £59bn to the UK economy between 2010 and 2013. [...]
Chancellor George Osborne and business secretary Sajid Javid vow to boost competition in 11 sectors including banking, broadband and energy November 30, 2015 British families could save £470 a year thanks to a new government plan to boost market competition, chancellor George Osborne and business secretary Sajid Javid have said. In a joint announcement today, Osborne and Javid will reveal a new, 25-page document intended to create more competitive business conditions – something they say will bring down [...]
London airport expansion: Government gearing up to make a decision on Heathrow as soon as this week November 29, 2015 A government ruling on airport expansion could come as soon as this week, with ministers gearing up to decide whether or not to reject the Airports Commission’s recommendation for a third runway at Heathrow Airport. The Airports Commission, led by RBS chairman Sir Howard Davies, said in July that it backed building a third runway [...]
“High risk” of Paris-style attacks in UK, warns defence secretary Michael Fallon ahead of Cameron’s crucial vote on Syrian air strikes November 29, 2015 Defence secretary Michael Fallon has warned of the high risk of Paris Style attacks as the government seeks cross-party support for Syian air strikes in the fight against Islamic State (IS). “What happened in Paris and Brussels could easily happen in London,” warned Fallon in an interview with a Sunday newspaper. "The threat to the UK is extremely high. An [...]
Conservative ministers to lobby Labour MPs over air strikes in Syria November 28, 2015 Ahead of a vote in the House of Commons on whether the UK should extend air strikes into Syria, ministers are expected to be making calls to Labour MPs to shore up support from the opposition benches. The foreign secretary Philip Hammond and defence secretary Michael Fallon are said to be among those making calls, [...]
Stop the War coalition organises march on Downing Street today November 28, 2015 With Prime Minister David Cameron's campaign to persuade the House of Commons of the need for air strikes in Syria gaining more support, the Stop the War coalition has called for a protest march in London today. Thousands of protesters are expected to turn up outside Downing Street to urge the Prime Minister to change [...]
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s policy adviser Andrew Fisher has suspension from the Labour party lifted by the ruling national executive committee November 27, 2015 After having been suspended from the Labour party following a stream of controversial tweets, leader Jeremy Corbyn's policy adviser Andrew Fisher has had his suspension lifted by the ruling national executive committee (NEC). Fisher had suggested that a Class War candidate should be back as leader of the party instead of Corbyn, while calling Tony Blair a [...]