Menu
Sun, 8 September 2024

Newsletter sign-up

Subscribe now
Search

Follow us:

All News
Speaker's Conference Decline Reform Of MP Employee Arrangements Despite Abuse Of Power Warning
Parliament
Speaker's Conference Decline Reform Of MP Employee Arrangements Despite Abuse Of Power Warning
The Speaker’s Conference, chaired by Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle, has recommended that staff should continue to be employed by MPs, rather than an independent body, despite warnings that those working in Parliament “will not have adequate protections from abuses of power”.
Date Of King's Speech Announced As Parliament Enters Summer Recess
Parliament
Date Of King's Speech Announced As Parliament Enters Summer Recess
As parliament rises for summer recess, Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt has announced the King’s Speech will take place on 7 November.
Conservatives Brace For Triple By-Election With Odds Stacked Against Them
Political parties
Conservatives Brace For Triple By-Election With Odds Stacked Against Them
As by-election polling day approaches in three English constituencies, the odds appear stacked against the Conservatives for hopes that they'll hold onto seats vacated by their MPs.
Cautious Optimism Among Tory MPs As Inflation Drops To 7.9 Per Cent
Economy
Cautious Optimism Among Tory MPs As Inflation Drops To 7.9 Per Cent
Inflation fell to 7.9 per cent in the 12 months to September from 8.7 per cent, but Tory MPs worry there is still a "long way to go" before Prime Minister Rishi Sunak can meet his target to half inflation by 2024.
Susan Hall Chosen As Conservative Candidate For Mayor Of London
Political parties
Susan Hall Chosen As Conservative Candidate For Mayor Of London
Susan Hall will be the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London at next year's election, after winning 57 per cent of a party membership vote.
Government Warned Against Allowing Big Tech Firms To 'Dictate' AI Policy
Technology
Government Warned Against Allowing Big Tech Firms To "Dictate" AI Policy
Alex Davies-Jones, Shadow Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, has said “big players” in the tech industry should not be “dictating” to government how artificial intelligence policy should look and that urgent regulation is needed, in response to a damning new report by the Ada Lovelace Institute.
It's Not Just Keir Starmer's Usual Detractors Who Don't Like His Two-Child Benefit Cap Stance
Political parties
It's Not Just Keir Starmer's Usual Detractors Who Don't Like His Two-Child Benefit Cap Stance
Discontent over Keir Starmer's surprising decision to retain the Tories' two-child benefit cap if Labour were in government has spread beyond the reaches of his usual detractors.
Illegal Migration Bill To Become Law, But Rebels Still Insist It's 'Hostile And Unworkable'
Home affairs
Illegal Migration Bill To Become Law, But Rebels Still Insist It's "Hostile And Unworkable"
The controversial Illegal Migration Bill is set to become law having passed its final parliamentary stages, but there are still questions over its practicality from peers who had attempted to adapt it.
Rishi Sunak Warned Hiking Migrant Visa Cost Will Send Food Prices Higher
Economy
Rishi Sunak Warned Hiking Migrant Visa Cost Will Send Food Prices Higher
Government has been warned that plans to make visas more expensive for foreign workers will fuel food inflation by exacerbating an "unholy mess" of high costs already faced by businesses.
Labour Rebels Pledge To 'Push Back' On Keir Starmer's Two Child Benefit Cap U-Turn
Political parties
Labour Rebels Pledge To "Push Back" On Keir Starmer's Two Child Benefit Cap U-Turn
Frustrated Labour MPs have continued to "push back" on Keir Starmer's controversial commitment to maintain the Tories’ two-child benefit cap limit if the party were to be elected into government after a fraught Parliamentary Labour Party meeting on Tuesday night.
Government Says It 'Can't Accept' Lords Amendments To Illegal Migration Bill
Home affairs
Government Says It "Can't Accept" Lords Amendments To Illegal Migration Bill
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick has called on peers in the House of Lords to “move forward" to pass the government's Illegal Migration bill, insisting MPs “can’t accept” amendments as the controversial legislation goes down to the wire.
Alarm Raised That Defaults On Car Loans Could Soar
Economy
Alarm Raised That Defaults On Car Loans Could Soar
A number of Tory MPs have expressed concern that the number of people defaulting on car loan repayments could spike as a result of high interest rates squeezing incomes.

Despondency Looms Over Selby and Ainsty Ahead Of By-Election
Home affairs
Despondency Looms Over Selby and Ainsty Ahead Of By-Election
Labour and the Conservative party may have found a tougher opponent than one another as they prepare to fight a by-election in Selby and Ainsty this week: entrenched despondency among an electorate that's tired of Westminster drama and the challenges posed by the cost of living crisis.
MP Calls For End To 'Toxic Debates' On LGBT Rights Ten Years After Same-Sex Marriage Legalised
Social affairs
MP Calls For End To "Toxic Debates" On LGBT Rights Ten Years After Same-Sex Marriage Legalised
Conservative MP Mike Freer has said "heated, toxic debates" over LGBT rights must end, ten years after he fought for his own right to marry his husband with the legalisation of same-sex marriage in England and Wales.
ULEZ Curveball Is Threatening To Derail A Labour By-Election Victory In Boris Johnson's Uxbridge
Political parties
ULEZ Curveball Is Threatening To Derail A Labour By-Election Victory In Boris Johnson's Uxbridge
The Labour Party is hopeful it can take Boris Johnson's former seat in a symbolic victory at the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election on Thursday, but the salience of Sadiq Khan's contentious Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has made the Tories believe they might still have a fighting chance.
Tory MP Wants To Build A Million More Homes In London
Home affairs
Tory MP Wants To Build A Million More Homes In London
Conservative MP Ranil Jayawardena, leader of the Conservative Growth Group (CGG), would like to see a million more homes built in London over the next parliament and has called for the pledge to be included in the party's next General Election manifesto.
Civil Service Pay System “Not Fit For Purpose” As Senior Staff Offered Larger Raise
Economy
Civil Service Pay System “Not Fit For Purpose” As Senior Staff Offered Larger Raise
The FDA union considers the civil service pay system to be “not fit for purpose” and in need of reform, despite the union accepting the pay recommendations set out by the Prime Minister on Thursday.
Brexit Prep Left UK “Match Fit” for Covid-19 Crisis, Gove Says
Coronavirus
Brexit Prep Left UK “Match Fit” for Covid-19 Crisis, Gove Says
Michael Gove has said that government preparations for Brexit meant the UK was better placed to respond to crises posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rishi Sunak Accepts Public Sector Pay Rise Recommendation Of More Than Six Per Cent
Economy
Rishi Sunak Accepts Public Sector Pay Rise Recommendation Of More Than Six Per Cent
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed that millions of public sector workers will receive pay increases of more than 6.5 per cent for 2023-24, accepting the full recommendations of the independent pay review body and forcing ministers to find cuts of up to £2bn.
'True Blue' Somerton And Frome Residents Are Losing Faith In Conservatives
Communities
"True Blue" Somerton And Frome Residents Are Losing Faith In Conservatives
Among the Union Jacks flying proudly alongside stone cottages in the rural villages of Somerton and Frome, a scattering of tangerine Liberal Democrat signs has emerged in the once “true blue” constituency.
Rishi Sunak Says West Would Be Stronger With Ukraine In NATO But Faces Pressure To 'Push Harder'
Defence
Rishi Sunak Says West Would Be Stronger With Ukraine In NATO But Faces Pressure To "Push Harder"
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the West would be stronger with "Ukraine as a NATO ally", despite no clear time scale for the war-torn country to be accepted into the international alliance.
Tory Rebels Say There's Still 'Deals To Be Done' On Illegal Migration Bill Concessions
Home affairs
Tory Rebels Say There's Still "Deals To Be Done" On Illegal Migration Bill Concessions
Rebel Conservative MPs are continuing talks with the government over the Illegal Migration Bill in a last-ditch attempt to shape the controversial legislation after failing to secure certain concessions in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
Tory MPs Fire Warning Shot Over Illegal Migration Bill
Home affairs
Tory MPs Fire Warning Shot Over Illegal Migration Bill
The government faces further battles with Tory MPs on the Illegal Migration Bill after a significant number of Conservative backbenchers supported moves to strengthen modern slavery protections in a marathon Commons vote on Tuesday night.
Parliamentary Authorities Investigating Burst Glass Ceiling In MPs' Office Building
Parliament
Parliamentary Authorities Investigating Burst Glass Ceiling In MPs' Office Building
Parliamentary authorities have launched an investigation after a glass ceiling panel collapsed, causing gallons of water to fall from the roof into a crowded communal area of Portcullis House on Tuesday.
Rishi Sunak Hopes Hog Roast Will Help Lift Tory Spirits
Political parties
Rishi Sunak Hopes Hog Roast Will Help Lift Tory Spirits
Rishi Sunak will host a Downing Street barbeque for Conservative MPs on Wednesday night as the Prime Minister tries to rally his troops ahead of three key by-elections this month and another two looming.
Large Events Could Be At Risk Of Being Overlooked In Anti-Terror Laws
Home affairs
Large Events Could Be At Risk Of Being Overlooked In Anti-Terror Laws
Conservative MP Tim Loughton has accused the government of "under-legislating" to mitigate terror risks at large, commercial venues with its draft anti-terrorism bill, while punishing small venues which are at much lower risk from attacks.
New Pressure Group Wants Reformed Bank of England To Stop Creating 'Unlimited New Money'
Economy
New Pressure Group Wants Reformed Bank of England To Stop Creating "Unlimited New Money"
A group of peers, think tanks and economic experts are set to launch a new parliamentary group focused on pressuring government to overhaul the Bank of England's current powers, including its ability to print money and buy bonds through Quantitative Easing (QE).
Government And Civil Service 'Harmony' Unlikely Despite New Pay Offer
Social affairs
Government And Civil Service "Harmony" Unlikely Despite New Pay Offer
General Secretary of the PCS union Mark Serwotka has said it is unlikely his union will be able to resolve its dispute with the government based on recent pay concessions, warning that industrial action could hit further key sectors in the coming months.
Gloomy Tory MPs Are Already Plotting Life After Rishi Sunak
Political parties
Gloomy Tory MPs Are Already Plotting Life After Rishi Sunak
Conservative MPs have already begun discussing who will replace Rishi Sunak if the party loses the next election – a fate many in the parliamentary party are increasingly resigned to.
Parliament Is Braced For Illegal Migration Bill 'Ping Pong' Between MPs and Lords
Home affairs
Parliament Is Braced For Illegal Migration Bill 'Ping Pong' Between MPs and Lords
Parliament is bracing for further back and forths on the government's controversial Illegal Migration Bill, following a series of defeats in the House of Lords.
Foreign Committee Chair Wants MPs To Be 'Less Obsessed' With Russian Sanctions
Foreign affairs
Foreign Committee Chair Wants MPs To Be "Less Obsessed" With Russian Sanctions
Chair of the foreign affairs committee Alicia Kearns has said “we need to become less obsessed with sanctions” as a tool to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, arguing that they are only a temporary measure.
Government Loses Legal Challenge To Avoid Handing Over Boris Johnson's Covid WhatsApps
Coronavirus
Government Loses Legal Challenge To Avoid Handing Over Boris Johnson's Covid WhatsApps
The Cabinet Office has lost a legal challenge to allow them to withhold Boris Johnson's unredacted WhatsApp messages from the Covid inquiry, after it previously claimed they were "unambiguously irrelevant".
Fifth By-Election Looms With Chris Pincher Facing Eight Week Suspension Over 'Shocking' Misconduct
Political parties
Fifth By-Election Looms With Chris Pincher Facing Eight Week Suspension Over "Shocking" Misconduct
The parliamentary standards watchdog has recommended that former government whip Chris Pincher should be suspended from parliament for eight weeks following an investigation into his conduct, likely triggering another by-election.
Why The Government's Anti-Boycott Bill Is So Controversial
Foreign affairs
Why The Government's Anti-Boycott Bill Is So Controversial
The controversial Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) bill, also dubbed 'the BDS bill', seeks to prevent public bodies engaging in political boycotts of foreign states.
Poor Use Of Stop And Search Found At Two Thirds Of Police Forces
Home affairs
Poor Use Of Stop And Search Found At Two Thirds Of Police Forces
Failures in implementing Stop and Search have been recorded at two thirds of England and Wales’ 43 police forces according to the independent police regulator, raising doubts over Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s renewed push to ramp up the controversial policing tactic.
Police Re-Open Conservative Headquarters Partygate Investigation
Coronavirus
Police Re-Open Conservative Headquarters Partygate Investigation
The Metropolitan police have re-opened their investigation into a party held in Conservative party HQ during lockdown after a new video of the gathering raised potential new evidence.